Lust Doll
by solitaryloner
Summary: Inspired by Lust Doll by Rin Kagamine. Len Kagamine is shy and easily embarrassed, when it comes to girls. That's why he has yet to confess to the girl he likes - she's beautiful, and the most desired girl in school, after all. Len can't help constantly thinking of her - but she doesn't notice him or his feelings for her at all. Because love is the last thing on her mind. LenXMiku.
1. Creation

_**Solitaryloner: **I'm back! With another Len and Miku story! I know I really should be updating other stuff, but I love the idea of this story and I had this urge to write the first chapter, as I always do for all my stories. Write the first chapter out because I got an idea, I mean. Yes, I know I'm fickle._

_Anyway, this story was inspired by Rin's Lust Doll, which is a fantastic song that I'm currently addicted to. It's great, and I love it so much. You all should take a listen to it._

_This first chapter is set way back in the past, in the time of the Ancient Greeks. The rest of the story will be set in modern times. This is to explain why the expected lifespan of a human in this chapter seems so...short._

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The Goddess of Love, Luka Megurine, was feeling extremely unhappy. Storming through the domain of the gods, up in the heavens, she went searching for her best friend Meiko Sakine, the Goddess of Wisdom. She had plenty to rant about, and Meiko always provided a good, if somewhat unwilling, listening ear.

She barged right into Meiko's room, surprising the brunette goddess, who was in the middle of studying something in her mirror. Upon closer inspection, the thing appeared to be battle plans - Meiko was an excellent strategist, and she did her work everywhere...even in her mirror. She was the Goddess of Wisdom, Crafts and Battle, calm and rational - the complete opposite of the passionate, hotheaded Luka.

Love could be kind and gentle...sweet. Love could also be selfish, hurtful and twisted. And the kind of love that the goddess of said emotion was currently experiencing did not happen to be the former. With a scowl, she slammed the door shut, staring at her coolly logical best friend balefully.

Meiko sighed, swirling a finger around the surface of the mirror. The strategy sheets disappeared - she must have had some kind of bet with the God of War, Gumo, again. The two were always trying to outdo each other, to see who could win battles more easily and frequently. The duo did not appear to mind the number of mortals which died, due to their little wars - then again, they were mere mortals.

Normally, Luka wouldn't think like that. Unlike most gods, she did have a caring side - most gods treated humans as playthings, vessels for sex and worship, which could be easily discarded and replaced. But Luka wasn't being her usual self. In fact, she was seething with fury, especially at the whole mortal race.

''Now, what happened this time?'' Meiko drawled, deigning to shift her attention from the mirror to the scowling Goddess of Love, Lust and Beauty. Luka flipped her silky, long pink hair over her shoulder angrily, her blue eyes sparking with an unbeatable fury.

''A mortal man dared to spurn me!'' she screeched. ''Me! The most beautiful being in existence - the Goddess of Beauty and Love, Luka Megurine! And he spurned me all for his little mortal wife. Like she could be any better than I am,'' she spat, fingers curling into fists.

Meiko sighed again. ''It's just a man,'' she said bluntly. ''Need you be so worked up over it? There are plenty of other mortals out there. You don't have to be so worked up just because one mortal man dared to reject you.''

''I'm a goddess, and the fact that an insignificant mortal dared to turn me away is an insult in itself,'' Luka's reply was scathing. ''I am Beauty and Lust. Men are supposed to take one look at me and fall onto their knees in desire and worship. Imagine a mortal soldier, rejecting your offer for help in battle. How would you feel about that, Meiko?'' Luka folded her arms.

Meiko frowned. ''A valid point,'' she conceded, her crimson eyes sliding up to meet Luka's narrowed blue ones. ''I can understand your wrath at that. If a worthless little human dares to spurn a goddess...they ought to be thankful that we even bothered to lower ourselves to their level. To communicate with the whole worthless lot of them. Were it not for the fact that their worship makes us stronger...''

Meiko's voice trailed off, but Luka understood what she meant - with prayers, the gods were stronger. The gods would have destroyed the whole mortal species if it didn't mean exterminating a source of strength. ''The mortals' name is Rinto Kagamine, his wife named Gumi. And I want to make both of them bow down and lick the soles of my feet.''

''As though humans don't already do that,'' Meiko's reply was droll. ''But what do you wish to do, to repair your wounded pride? If you wanted to kill them, you would have done so. I suspect that you want something else.''

''All mortals are worthless,'' Luka declared spitefully. ''They do not see what is a jewel when they come by it. They think themselves higher and mightier than the gods. Well, I will show them their place - they are lesser than we are, and they would do well to know that.''

Meiko's red eyes glinted with interest. ''How are you going to show them their place, so as you speak?'' she asked curiously. Luka's full lips tilted up, into a bitter smile. She placed her slender hands on her curvy hips, an unconscious pose of temptation and seduction - yes, she was the Goddess of Lust and Beauty, indeed.

''A doll,'' she murmured. ''I will create my own little pet doll, and she will wreak havoc upon the human world in my stead. And I need your help in fashioning the doll, in giving her the intelligence and charm to seduce men. Would you help me, Meiko? We're friends, after all - and wouldn't you like to have some fun?''

Gods never did anything without expecting something in return - not even for their friends. The brown haired goddess cocked an eyebrow, then slowly, her blood red lips curved up into a smile. ''I'm up for anything which seems like fun. It'll give me a little break from sparring with Gumo, anyway. He can wait.''

Luka and Meiko shared a sly smile, before both of them walked out of the room. It was time for them to put their individual skills to work.

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A shape made out of pure white clay, fashioned into the perfect, flawlessly lovely figure of a girl. Carefully, Luka finished the final touches, sweeping her slender fingers down the figure's breasts, making them smooth, perky and of the perfect size - not too small, not too big. Wiping her fingers clean of clay, she picked up her paintbrush and began to paint the shape.

Emerald eyes, large and intense, framed with long thick eyelashes which were so long, they would brush her cheeks when she lowered her eyelids. Luka hummed to herself as she painted her doll, giving her ruby red lips, long teal coloured hair, creamy pale skin with perfect pink nipples, and no pubic hair. The doll's fingernails were shiny and glossy, and her teeth were white and straight. Perfect.

Essentially, after Luka had finished painting the clay figure, the girl which stood before her was breathtaking, and Luka smirked, satisfied with her own handiwork. Meiko, who had been standing at the side and watching the whole while, exhaled in relief at the thought of finally having something to do. Luka glanced back at her brunette friend. ''What do you think?''

''Perfect, lovely, whichever,'' Meiko said impatiently, stepping closer to the doll. Luka sighed, staring hard at the doll, then at Meiko.

''You simply don't know how to appreciate beauty,'' the pink haired goddess said bluntly. ''Anyway, you give your gift, and I'll give mine. After that, we just have to bring her to life, and then voilà! She will be ready, my dear doll.''

Meiko rolled her eyes, then faced the doll, leaning down so that her lips brushed the clay figurine's forehead. The clay was smooth and cool, with no cracks whatsoever - Meiko had to admit that Luka had done a fine job.

''I grant you limitless wisdom and intelligence, enough that you will be far more intelligent than most humans...as well as the smartness and creativity to make your own decisions, regardless of whatever your mistress has told you to do,'' Meiko breathed against the clay, then turned around to smirk at Luka.

Luka huffed at her, then shrugged it off. ''The doll wouldn't care anyway. She might be able to think for herself and disagree with my commands, but she won't go against my orders. My words are her top priority. She is my little tool to use against men,'' Luka stepped forward, doing the same thing as Meiko had, earlier.

''I give you beauty. Sheer, overwhelming beauty. And lust. I give you the power to make anyone lust for you, male or female, young or old. I give you everything except the ability to love.'' Gently, Luka kissed the doll's forehead, then rose, beckoning to Meiko. The Goddess of Wisdom approached, knowing what was going to come next. This would be interesting.

Everything other than the ability to love? Meiko had granted the doll the ability to think for herself, for she had wanted to annoy Luka...though, as what the goddess had said, her little doll would always do what its mistress had commanded, even if the doll had her own disagreements with what Luka had ordered. But why did Luka not allow her creation to love?

''We give you life,'' the two goddesses said together, reaching out to touch the doll's cheeks. ''Everlasting life and youth. Live once, and live forever - for the rest of eternity.''

For a while, nothing seemed to happen, the clay under their fingers remaining cool and smooth - but then suddenly, the clay warmed, and the figure opened its mouth, drawing in a deep breath. Cold clay turned to warm skin, the painted hair lifting from her back, forming a silky teal waterfall. Her eyes blinked, vivid emerald filled with confusion.

The goddesses stepped away as the newly alive doll reached up, her fingers touching her cheeks. She glanced around the room, shivering as the cool air of the room brushed against her bare skin - and Meiko hissed, suddenly unable to resist the idea of taking the petite doll into her arms and having her own...way with her.

''When you gave her the power to make anyone lust after her...I suppose that even the gods themselves are no exception to that little gift?'' Meiko gritted out to Luka, turning her gaze away from the still dazed doll.

Luka shrugged, eyes twinkling with mischief. ''Of course. I'm the only exception to that. At least, I ought to be, since I'm her mistress. You're affected by the doll, Meiko? I thought you didn't care for love, being such a strategist.''

''As you would say, it is not love - it's lust,'' Meiko pointed out sharply. ''Put...put some clothes on her,'' the wisdom goddess added hurriedly. ''Her naked body is a menace to my very sanity,'' she admitted grudgingly, biting her lip to avoid giving in to her strange urges. A thought occurred to her. ''Why did you not grant her the ability to love another?''

Luka, who was in the midst of sorting through her giant wardrobe, looked back out at her. ''Oh. She is not a human. She is a doll, a weapon - and it will not do me good for her to love. If she loves, she fails in her goal - to seduce and shatter the mortals. She can lust, but I will simply never allow her to fall in love,'' the goddess's blue eyes turned pensive. ''I think I shall name her Miku. Miku Hatsune.''

''Miku?'' the doll suddenly spoke, and her voice was sweet. Ridiculously sweet and melodious, the high-pitched soprano flowing like water through a stream. ''That's my name?'' Her teal hair covered her naked body, covering her yet revealing and tempting, at the same time.

''Yes, love,'' Luka smiled fondly at her. ''My little lust doll. Do you know who I am?'' the pink haired goddess asked coyly.

''Yes,'' the doll nodded. ''You, Luka Megurine, Goddess of Love, and Meiko Sakine, the Goddess of Wisdom, both gave life to me. But only the love goddess is my creator. She fashioned me, so I owe my creation and new life to her.''

Luka arched an eyebrow, staring at Meiko. ''You did give her your knowledge,'' she sounded surprised. ''I thought you had been lying.'' Turning back and ignoring the brunette's spluttering, she whipped around to face Miku, holding out a sheer white flowing dress. ''Wear this and let me see how you look,'' she cooed.

The lust doll nodded and changed into the dress quickly, the scanty dress settling perfectly around her lovely figure. Luka nodded approvingly, while Meiko stared, throat dry. ''Good girl. Now...I wonder how can I make you learn?'' Luka mused. ''I do not wish to teach you how to please a man. But I doubt Meiko gave you such knowledge, so...what to do?''

''Send her to your son. He would be more than happy enough to teach her,'' Meiko suggested, forcing the words out through stiff lips. ''After all, if there is one god who is skilled in pleasure and sex, then it would be your son - Luki Megurine, the God of Lust and Sexuality.''

Luka smirked. ''Now, how would you know that, Meiko?'' she purred. Meiko flushed, choosing to ignore the question, and Luka laughed daintily, further flustering the wisdom goddess. ''Nevertheless, you speak true...'' Luka touched Miku's shoulder, and Miku stared trustingly up at her. ''My sweet lust doll, you aren't human. You have no heartbeat, and you have no need for food, nor any need for air.''

''I'm not human?'' Miku echoed. ''What's a human?'' she cocked her head, thinking. ''A mortal,'' she answered her own question aloud, musing, and Luka grinned - the doll was sweetly adorable. Irresistible. ''With a lifespan of between thirty to forty years, on average.''

''Yes,'' Luka cooed. ''You're right. You're a lust doll, a figurine brought to life through magic and lust. Lust birthed you, and to continue existing, you need to have sex at least once a week - it is the bare minimum. Is that understood, love? Now, you have to learn about sex. Enter the room past that door, and tell the pink haired man inside who looks like me that his mother wants him to wean you.''

Miku blinked, and Meiko resisted a shiver at the adorable pout on the doll's face. Lust doll. Luka had granted her the ability to make anyone desire her - and it appeared to be working. A little too well, in fact. ''Sex...?'' Miku cocked her head, looking unsure. ''Oh...okay.''

She trotted away, scantily clad, then opened the door, easing herself into the aforementioned room. Meiko and Luka watched as the doll closed the door behind her, then they both sighed - Luka in disappointment, Meiko in relief. ''I had hoped that she might stay for a little while longer first, before leaving.''

''No, no, it's good for her to learn as quickly as possible,'' Meiko cut in, glad that the source of temptation was now gone. ''Then you can send her to the mortal world sooner.''

Luka nodded. ''That's true. I do hope that Luki is gentle with her - I would not like for my handiwork to be treated too roughly. At least, not at this stage. She is still new to living.''

''I'd be surprised if he doesn't molest her the moment she steps into his room,'' Meiko muttered under her breath, dissatisfied. Luki was a sex maniac, and well...Meiko was rather jealous. She wanted the lust doll too.

But no matter. Miku Hatsune was a very effective lust doll, if even she, the Goddess of Wisdom, was affected by her. Luka had definitely done a marvellous job, this time.

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Miku Hatsune was confused still. The silky white material draped across her body like a waterfall, and her mind whispered that it was a 'dress' - a garment people wore to cover up their nakedness. She knew the meanings of most terms once she thought of the words...but still, it didn't ease her uncertainty.

Just a while ago, she had been nothing. And all of a sudden, she was...this. She was a lust doll, or so her Mistress had called her - her Mistress, Luka Megurine, Goddess of Love and Beauty. She wondered why the goddess had created her.

The pink haired male who was reclining in his bed, eating chocolate, glanced up lazily as Miku walked hesitantly inside the room, then sat up instantly as he took a proper look at her. The man bore an unnerving resemblance to her Mistress - Miku thought back to what Meiko had mentioned, before she had come here.

This was Luki Megurine, the person Meiko had suggested sending her to, the Love Goddess's son...son? That meant...that they were related? And related people tended to resemble one another...ah, so that was why they looked so much like each other. Mother and son.

Luki's blue eyes were alight with curiosity, and with some kind of other emotion she didn't know how to identify. ''Who are you, and why did you enter from my mother's room? You are not a goddess - I've never seen you before.''

''I come with a message from my Mistress, your mother Luka Megurine,'' Miku bowed respectfully to him. Gods, her mind whispered - powerful beings which were feared and revered by humans. She didn't know whether she had to respect him, since she was not a human...she was a doll. But she decided to play it safe. ''She says that she wants you to...wean me?'' she cocked her head, blinking her eyes. Wean?

What had her mistress meant by that? Luki's blue eyes widened, then slowly a smirk curved his full lips. Before she could react, she found herself naked, pinned under the body of the pink haired god as he braced himself over her, his blue eyes tracing her body hungrily.

''You're my mother's creation? A doll, then - but my mother has outdone herself, this time,'' Luki mused as she stared up at him, shocked. ''I'll be doing you a favour. Lust dolls need sex to function...I suppose that's why they're _lust_ dolls. You're probably a new creation.''

''I'm new,'' she agreed with him, already over her shock. She didn't mind the position that she was in - her mind told her that the god wanted to have sex with her. She knew what was sex...and she didn't mind. After all, according to her mistress, she needed that to survive as a doll. Miku didn't want to be mere clay again.

''So my mother told me to wean you,'' Luki narrowed his eyes. ''I'd be glad to teach you everything you have to know about pleasure, my sweet little lust doll,'' he lowered his face to the crook of her neck, teeth grazing skin, and she cried out, feeling pleasure - _pleasure, a feeling of joy and satisfaction. _''You're the most desirable, tempting doll I've seen to date...''

''Teach me what you will,'' Miku whispered, reaching up to loop her arms around her neck. A lust doll existed for this - for sex, for desire, for lust. She knew all that, somehow. It was strange, how she knew so much despite her newness and inexperience, when it came to being alive. ''I am a doll. You are the master.''

''You're right about that,'' Luki agreed, his eyes glinting with a feral hunger as he pinned her down, leaving her with no escape.


	2. Present

Miku Hatsune smirked, shouldering her bag as she walked down the hallways of the school. Mortals. Insignificant. Easily replaced. _Build them up, then crush them all under your feet, _her Mistress had told her before. And she would do just that. It was why she had been created.

She had lived for several millennia, and she had seen all manner of humans. Perhaps it was inaccurate to say that she lived - she had existed. After all, she was just a doll, animated through magic and lust. She didn't get ill, didn't get pregnant, didn't need food or anything. Her life would have been perfect...were it not for the fact that she needed sex once a week.

She hated that. And no, she couldn't get her fix with someone of the same gender - her Mistress, being the pervert that she was, apparently made her so that she needed to have sex with someone of the opposite gender, to continue existing. She needed the seed of a male within her body. Just as well that she couldn't fall ill or get pregnant. If she could...well, she'd have a lot of kids by now. Luka clearly had something against protection.

The students shushed as she walked down the passageway, both male and female gaping in awe at her. It didn't matter who they were, whether they were in a relationship or not - their eyes glazed over in lust as they watched her, and again she smirked. Being able to make them all desire her was a handy ability...though she wished that she was able to control it.

It was a latent ability, and she couldn't help herself. Something about her attracted the sexual interest of any mortal, except for the attention of either children or the elderly. Any able-bodied person lusted after her upon sighting her, and honestly it could get tiring after a while. Even up in the heavens, she was not spared - the gods wanted her too.

Whenever she wanted a break from being fought over like some kind of priceless object, she retreated to her mistress's room in the heavens. Her mistress was the only person Miku had ever seen who was able to resist the overwhelming temptation that she presented - probably because Luka herself had been the one to grant her that desirability. The Goddess of Love wouldn't allow herself to fall to the temptation of her own prized doll.

Miku was much sought after in school, and all the people in the classes she was in tended to be...very distracted. Same for all the other schools she had ever attended. For the past few millennia, she had been quietly moving from country to country, from state to state - so that no one would realise that the inhumanly lovely girl didn't age. She remained youthful and beautiful, even when everyone else grew old.

She was an immortal, like the gods. She was a lust doll, the weapon of the goddess Luka Megurine. Her job was to seduce and tempt mortals into falling for her...then she broke their hearts, leaving them behind in pieces. Miku didn't know whether or not she enjoyed her job, but she did as Luka ordered.

Once a week, she selected a human boy to tempt into her bed. She made it fast and emotionless - the boy received pleasure from her, but she needed the sex only for survival. She allowed herself no pleasure, for she didn't enjoy this facade. Perhaps once, back in the past, she had revelled in the feeling of giving and receiving pleasure, but now no longer.

She, a lust doll, had become jaded. Up until even today, she likely had had more men in her bed than any other woman ever had before. And it wasn't because she wanted it. It was either give herself to a man, or cease existing. There was once she had tried to last one week without sex - she had turned back into a clay doll, but she had still been conscious. Trapped. It had been the worst experience of her entire existence.

Luka had revived her, but had warned her that the next time such a thing happened, she would leave her as a doll. Miku had then resolved to never go against the sex rule again, because being locked away inside an unmoving body, able to hear and see but unable to speak or move...it had been an utter nightmare.

So now, regardless of how tired she was of sex, she forced herself into it - so that she could continue to survive. Humans referred to this animalistic act as 'making love'. Love? What was love? No emotions were involved in such an act...she existed as a doll, with no need for love. All she felt was animal lust, but no love.

Emotions from the heart were weak and feeble, and there was no need for such feelings. She did not believe in love or emotions - she simply existed for sex and temptation. Any man could be picked by her to experience the pleasure she brought...so long as they readied compensation for it. Once a week, she lured a boy into her bed, and once a week, the boy left satisfied.

She knew perfectly well how to please a lover in bed. Her mistress's son, Luki Megurine, had taught her well that first time. When she had finally left his bed, she had known enough on how to please a man to satisfy Luka...so she had been set loose upon the mortal world, with Luka's orders resounding in her ears. _Seduce the mortals. Break the hearts of every single one of them, and trample the shattered bits of their fragile hearts under your feet._

And so, that was what she had done for the past few millennia she had been on the surface of this world. She specifically targeted good-looking boys, the ones who believed that they could get any girl in the world, and she tore their self-confidence down...until they no longer dared to be so proud, so arrogant.

Personally, Miku liked to think that she was doing the world a favour, getting rid of the arrogance that these boys possessed. Usually, whenever she moved to a new school, she quickly made use of her desirability to enter the popular clique - then she found out who were the playboys of the school, and she tore them to pieces. It could be fun at times. Most of the time, actually. She never felt guilty for it.

After all, these boys deserved some of their own medicine. She didn't pay attention to any mortals outside of these little cliques as there was no need for her to notice unimportant people - if there was one thing that Miku was good at, it was ignoring people who she felt were undeserving of her attention.

Now, as she stood outside her locker, selecting the books she needed for class, she ignored the whispers she could hear around her. The only indication that she knew what was being said was the small smirk curving her full lips.

But even though Miku herself was ignoring the whispering, one blonde boy wasn't. Standing on the other side of the school hallway, watching the teal haired girl as she sorted through the books in her locker, the boy gritted his teeth as he heard the murmurs around him.

''Shit, Hatsune looks so damn hot today. I just want to strip her...and tie her to my bed...can you just imagine that naked body spread out on your bedsheets? Man, I want to fuck her.''

The blonde boy ignored the whispers, slamming his locker door shut with a vicious ferocity. He closed his blue eyes, trying to tune the words he could hear out. Yes, he knew that those words were true - hell, he himself had visualised that perfect body under him before - but Miku Hatsune was so much more than that.

He just knew that she was. She was more than just a sex toy, and hearing people talking about her that way was pissing him off, though he tried not to show it. Even if he did snap at those murmuring people, nothing would change - after all, he wasn't particularly influential in this school. He wasn't one of the popular kids.

Running his fingers irritably through his silky blonde hair, Len Kagamine shouldered his black bag, heading towards his first class. He wasn't a popular kid, not like Miku Hatsune. She probably didn't even know who he was...which was surprising, since he was her science lab partner. Sure, he was well liked, but he wasn't famous, and most people outside his group of friends didn't have any idea who he was.

Since he wasn't one of the popular 'clique' - at this thought, he rolled his eyes in disdain - people didn't notice him. So no matter what he did, no one would ever pay him attention. He had yet to find a person who thought the same way about Miku Hatsune as he did - that she was more than just a little toy for sex and pleasure. Everyone lusted after the petite teal haired girl. She was gorgeous...perfect.

He desired her, true. But he didn't just want her for her beauty, or for her body...though admittedly both were very tempting. There was something very intriguing about this girl - something about her mysterious smile, the way she held herself, made him think that she was extremely different from the other girls here.

She had come into this school in junior year, and from the very first moment he had laid eyes upon her, he had wanted her. Much like everyone else. She had never paid him any attention, despite the both of them being science partners, but he hadn't been able to move on from his initial attraction to her. In fact, that same desire and infatuation had deepened, and now...he just needed her.

Sometimes, he desired her so badly, he thought that his want for her was driving him insane. But he never had managed to work up the courage to talk to her - she was so beautiful, and the utter perfection of her features was rather intimidating. Of course, it didn't help that around the girls he liked, Len always turned mute, unable to speak to them.

The shyness he felt around girls he liked was crippling, and it annoyed him. Especially when it came to Miku. He had lost count of how many times he had attempted to talk to her, tried to introduce himself, during science class when they sat next to each other. But each time he opened his mouth, he couldn't force himself to say anything - he was suddenly unable to speak a single word. Not even a simple hello.

Miku had only ever spoken to him once, in the whole of junior year - and that had been only to ask if he could lend her a pen. He had blushed, embarrassed, and lent it to her. After she had finished using it, she had returned it to him with her trademark dazzling smile on her face.

Len still kept the pen, and he treated it as though it was a treasure. As seniors, they were still sitting together - and Miku had yet to speak another word to him. He sighed, shaking his head. He was an hopeless idiot when it came to Miku Hatsune. He wished that he would have the guts to at least say hi to her...but he didn't. Whenever he looked at her, he could feel...something twisting within his chest.

Whenever he saw her, all he wanted to do was pull her towards him, letting his arms wrap around her slender body. He wanted to bury his face in her long teal hair, inhaling the intoxicating scent of roses which always wafted off her creamy pale skin. During science, her rose scent always drugged his senses, and he couldn't pay attention during class because the only thing he focused on was her scent.

He had accidentally brushed against her skin before, when he had been reaching out to take his pencil off his side of the table. And he still remembered that one brush. Her skin...it was so soft and smooth, like a baby's. And her face. She was beautiful, so beautiful that he could never bring himself to look away from her.

But she never noticed him. He wasn't famous enough for her to pay him any attention. And that sucked for him, since he sat right next to her during science. Shouldn't she know his name, at the very least? Yet...somehow, he had the feeling that she barely even knew that there was someone sitting next to her in Science.

There was just something about her that attracted him, and that attraction was more than just sexual. He wanted to know her as more than a friend. He didn't just want her for sex, like so many other people in their school - he wanted her for more. Len wondered whether, throughout the one year he had been watching her, he had fallen in love with her.

Normally, that would have been an extremely stupid thought. After all, how could it be possible to fall in love someone that you had never even talked to before? The only thing he ever did was watch her from a distance as she went about her life in school. She was always constantly surrounded by people, all desperate for her attention, yet at the same time she seemed so isolated from the rest. It was as though she didn't want all this...worship.

Miku wasn't stupid. She most probably knew that everyone tried to get close to her just for the possibility that she would have sex with them. It was known that once a week, she invited a boy from the popular group over to her house, and all the boys treated it as some kind of lucky draw. And that made him feel sick.

No one knew anything about who or where her parents were, but no one had ever complained about her behaviour before - which made Len wonder if her parents were always overseas or something. Len had also heard plenty about Miku's expertise in bed before - the boys in the popular clique had big mouths.

He was disgusted by the way they bragged about it, about how much pleasure she could bring. But he wasn't disgusted by her. He could never be repulsed by anything she did - like the rest of them, it just made him crave her all the more. Miku just ignored all the rumours and speculation, instead acting like nothing had ever happened, like she didn't know what was going on. She pretended that nothing was going on.

Hearing all those boys talking about how good Miku was in bed...it annoyed him. No, it more than just annoyed him - it infuriated him, and...it made him jealous. He was jealous that Miku didn't treat him the same way, that she didn't even notice that he existed. To her, he didn't exist. To her, Len was probably nothing.

To Len, though, she was important. He felt like she was his whole world, but he still couldn't work up the courage to talk to her. He wondered, if he was able to tell her exactly how he felt about her...would anything change between them, then? Would she treat him the same way she treated the popular boys? Or would she just continue to ignore him?

Len wasn't sure. The only thing that he was sure of was that he loved her more than he loved anything else...and that he wanted her all for himself, even if he couldn't bring himself to tell her that. How he hated the way he couldn't tell her any of that - it was idiotic of him.

_I don't know how to describe this feeling. But what do you call it when you lust after someone so much, you end up destroying your very own sanity...?_


	3. One Little Note

Len admitted one thing - he wasn't doing a very good job of paying attention during class. Then again, why should he? He was a straight A student, and he was always one of the top few of their level, every year...the one who was at the very top, however, was Miku Hatsune.

She wasn't all beauty and no brains, and that just made her even more attractive to him. His eyes drifted to the clock on the classroom wall - the next lesson was Science, and he couldn't deny the growing flutter of excitement in his stomach, at the very thought. Science. The only subject he actually looked forward to.

Because then, he got to sit next to the girl of his dreams. He couldn't explain to anyone his attraction to this girl...well, he didn't need to explain it. Everyone was attracted to her. It was so strange, like she had somehow managed to charm and enchant every single person in this school...it was unnatural, her allure, but Len didn't care for why she was so different.

He glanced down at the scrap of paper he was idly doodling on, then he blinked. _Miku Kagamine, _the words stared up at him, in his own familiar handwriting. Feeling his cheeks flush, he hastily set his pen down and crushed the little scrap of paper. Gumo, who was sitting next to him, shot him a curious look, but Len ignored it, quickly shoving the crumpled paper into his open pencil case and closing it.

He was definitely too far gone. Still, the name lingered on his mind, and he felt his lips tilt up into a satisfied smile. It sounded like a good name to him. Not just because he was attracted to her. _Miku Kagamine..._that was a name he could easily get used to. Provided she ever happened to notice his existence, that was.

There wasn't anything wrong with wanting to marry someone who didn't know that he was alive. Was there? Anyway, Len was sure that one day she would realise that someone sat next to her during Science. She couldn't be that oblivious to his presence...could she? Wanting to marry Miku Hatsune...well, it was better than wanting her for mere sex, like the rest of the school. At least, in his opinion it was.

He couldn't deny that he had fantasised about her before. Once. Twice. Okay, many times before. But then, he hadn't really known what to think of, because the blonde boy still happened to be a virgin. He had gone out with several girls before, but all the girls had been the ones to confess to him, since he never dared to talk to the girls he liked. He had never gone any further than simple kissing, and he always broke up with his girlfriends before long.

He tried to keep the breakups amiable. Why he broke up with them so quickly? It wasn't because he didn't find any of his girlfriends attractive. He did - he found their boldness, the way they had dared to ask him out of their own accord, very attractive. But he felt that something was missing from them. There was just something lacking in all of them...

And he had found that missing link in Miku Hatsune. She tempted him, her mysteriousness beckoning to him. Beckoned to him to approach if he dared, so that he could attempt to unravel the speculation which always surrounded her. But he still didn't dare to talk to her. When he sat next to her...there was this impenetrable wall of silence between the two of them, a wall of his own making. A barrier he couldn't cross.

He wondered whether he would ever be able to work up the courage to tear his self-made barriers down. If he could ever force himself to leap over the impenetrable walls to talk to her. He just wanted to say hi to her, just once - but it appeared that such a thing was not going to happen. Not any time soon, anyway. He scowled a little at the thought of his own shyness.

Why was he just so damn easily embarrassed? Talking to her should be ridiculously simple. She was just a girl, after all. Miku Hatsune was only a girl. And she wouldn't do anything to embarrass him...or anything too bad to him, right? If he tried to talk to her? After all, she didn't seem like she was very mean. So why was he so scared of talking to a girl? She was only a girl. A girl he was very attracted to.

She was a gorgeous girl...Len shook his head, ignoring Gumo as the green haired boy once again shot him another disturbed look. Miku Hatsune wasn't just gorgeous - she was breathtaking. Literally. Every time he saw her, he felt like he might have slight difficulties in breathing. She was just beautiful like that.

But that wasn't enough of a reason for him to be so painfully shy, right? He could already picture exactly what his best friend, Rei Kagene, would say to him at this point - _Be a man, grow some balls and say hi to her. How do you manage to make such a simple thing seem so damn difficult, Kagamine?_

Well, except that Rei didn't know about his problem with Miku. Len had never told anyone about his problem. Not even Rei. Mostly because Rei was as obsessed with Miku as everyone else was. Len had yet to find someone who wasn't obsessed with the teal haired girl...hell, even his twin sister, Rin Kagamine, was obsessed with Miku. To the point of worship, in fact. It was actually rather frightening.

And Len had always thought that Rin was, well...straight. Ah well. He supposed that there was just something about Miku Hatsune which attracted and intrigued everyone, young or old, male or female. Even their teachers found her attractive...and very distracting, which was why people tended to fail in the classes she was in. Because no one was paying attention to the lesson, least of all the teacher.

Len had to wonder why the principal hadn't sent Miku away yet...then again, the principal was probably as smitten with her as all of them were. He frowned. All this was so strange, the desire that they all felt towards her. It was just...unnatural. But then, no one cared about that anyway. Lust was a strong emotion, an emotion that could sweep all logic away and make one think of nothing other than Miku.

Just then, the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. The shrill ringing sound broke through his reverie, and Len jerked, blinking as he was forced out of his silent musing. Hastily, he rose from his chair, sweeping all the books on his table into his bag. A smile unconsciously curved his lips - he badly wanted to go for his next lesson. One could even go so far as to say that Science was one of the highlights of his day.

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Len was sitting next to Miku, and the near proximity of her skin was...intoxicating. He bit his lip to resist a shiver - he felt so tensed up, next to her, and all he wanted to do was reach over, pull her close to him, make sure that she was his and wholly, completely his. The carnal craving he felt for her bothered him, but at the same time all he could feel was the yearning.

Her hand was resting on the table, right next to his hand...his fingers twitched as he fought against the urge to just reach over and cover that slender hand with his own. He could recall how smooth and soft her skin was, and what he wouldn't give to just take that hand, to lay a small kiss upon that satin skin -

''...borrow a pen?'' he blinked, shaking his head as he heard someone speak to him. Then the words registered, and he froze, his heartbeat accelerating as he recognised that sweet voice. Miku was staring at him, her large emerald eyes looking expectant. Her lush lips were curved into a small, almost seductive smile.

''Excuse me?'' he asked, feeling rather stupid. ''I didn't catch what you were saying...'' he almost couldn't force the words out, past his lips. Miku Hatsune was talking to him. Miku. The most desired girl in school...the girl that he didn't dare to talk to. She was speaking to him. Again. He wondered whether he was dreaming.

''I asked if I may borrow a pen from you?'' her smile held, the thick eyelashes which framed her eyes making her seem almost doll like. Len swallowed. Again, she was asking him for a pen. But this time, he would talk to her. He could. He knew he could. He could make use of this to start a conversation with her, right?

''Um, yeah, sure,'' he somehow managed to choke out, reaching for his pencil case. But as he unzipped the leather case, fumbling around for a pen, the hastily crumpled piece of paper he had shoved inside his pencil case earlier fell out, onto the table. He froze, and both he and Miku stared at the paper for a while, before Len reached out and grabbed it, his cheeks pink.

''Miku Kagamine...?'' Miku asked, and he glanced at her, feeling embarrassed. There was a twinkle of amusement in her lovely eyes, and as he stared into those eyes he felt as though he could get lost in them forever. He coughed and looked away, blinking. Her eyes...he was attracted to those eyes, the eyes that he found strangely familiar, now that he had a chance to actually stare into them up close.

''It's just someone,'' he muttered, trying not to let his embarrassment show on his face. ''Not really anyone important,'' he tried to make up an excuse to hide the panic within him, though he knew that Miku most likely had already guessed that 'Miku Kagamine' referred to her. He hadn't intended to let her see that. Now, she probably thought that he was some kind of obsessed stalker who had nothing better to do, other than to fantasise about her.

So perhaps he really did have nothing better to do, other than to dream about her. But there wasn't any need for her to know about that. Cheeks still feeling warm, he sullenly handed the pen he was using over to her, reluctant to look for another pen inside his pencil case. She took it, her eyes staring at him curiously, and he tried hard to ignore her piercing green gaze.

''What's your name?'' she suddenly chimed, her voice as sweet and melodious as ever. Len blinked, his head whipping around so that he could face her. Had she...had Miku Hatsune just asked him for his name? He almost couldn't believe it - he had been imagining for something of this sort to happen, for God knew how long, and now she finally was asking him who he was. This was a good sign, right?

''Len,'' his reply was hesitant, and he swallowed, trying to inject more confidence into his voice. He could only hope that his words wouldn't shake or tremble when he next spoke to her. ''I'm Len Kagamine.'' He didn't bother asking her for her name - everyone in the school knew exactly who the beauty was.

''Len Kagamine...?'' a flicker of some emotion went through her beautiful green eyes, but he couldn't identify what emotion it was, and before he could really focus on it, the flicker was gone. She smiled again, and Len realised that she had probably figured out where the Kagamine in 'Miku Kagamine' had come from.

''It's not what you think!'' he said hurriedly, praying he wouldn't embarrass himself any further than he already had. ''I was just thinking up of a new name for my -''_For my what? _Before he had to come up with anything, though, Miku cut across his stuttering, that lovely smile still on her face. Len tried hard to compose himself - she was flustering him.

''It's okay, I didn't say anything. You don't have to explain yourself or anything,'' she said, voice calm, then lightly she reached over and patted him on the shoulder. He stiffened at the soft touch, his body instantly reacting to her nearness. _I want more..._his mind whispered. _I want more of your touch. I never did manage to have enough of it to satisfy me._

He frowned. Of course he never had enough of it. She had never touched him like that before, not before this. What on earth was he thinking? She continued in that sweet, soothing voice, and he wondered - if she told him to jump off a building, would he be willing to do just that? ''I'm sorry I've never spoken to you before, it's just that...well, I try not to talk in class,'' she beamed cheerfully. ''It's great to have finally spoken to my science partner, at any rate.''

So she had noticed that she had a partner during science? Len felt relieved, when he heard that. ''Oh. Um. Yeah, it's great to have finally said something to you,'' he mumbled, trying not to stumble over his words. Smooth, Len. Real smooth. ''Um...you're really, really pretty,'' the words suddenly spilled out, and silently he wished that he could just crawl into a hole, somewhere far away from here, and die.

She blinked at him, then laughed softly. ''Thank you,'' she propped her chin up, on her hand. ''I...get that a lot,'' her green eyes met his curiously, and blushing he looked away from her penetrating gaze. ''You're a very interesting person, Len Kagamine,'' she suddenly announced, making his heart beat even faster than it already was. ''I think I'll like you.''

_Wait, what? She'll like me? Really? Am I dreaming? I have to be dreaming. There's no other reason why something like this could ever happen to someone like me. Right? Why would someone so beautiful ever be interested in somebody as unnoticeable as I am?_

''Oh...um, thanks, I guess?'' he said hesitantly, knowing that his face was probably as red as a tomato. He didn't know what else to say, so he just lapsed into silence, staring down at the table awkwardly. He heard her giggle, and the sweet sound of it made his heart twist, but he didn't let himself react to the sound of her voice. He had already embarrassed himself enough, and he didn't want to lose any more face.

Miku stared at the blonde boy, whose cheeks were still pink. She knew that he was interested in her. That much was obvious. It wasn't surprising - she would be more startled if he didn't desire her, the way everyone else did. No, that he desired her wasn't the reason why she had spoken to him.

He was handsome, she could not deny that - it made her wonder why he was not more noticed in the school. He had bright blonde hair, twisted up into a small ponytail, with some errant strands falling messily around his face. His features were perfect, aristocratic, with his slanted cerulean eyes, his chiselled cheekbones, his full lips, and his angular facial structure.

And of course, he looked fit. He probably kept himself fit by working out or something. Tall and lean, he had a lanky body build, but she could see that there were lean, flat muscles in his arms. His fingers were long and slender, almost ladylike, like the fingers of an artist. His voice was pleasant. Velvet, even. The kind of voice which could tempt a woman into bed with him. She was surprised he wasn't more well-known in this school...it was so strange.

Ever since she had first stepped into this school, she had noticed this blonde boy. Because he looked...a little familiar. Though she couldn't remember why. She felt like she had seen him before, yet at the same time she hadn't...when she saw him, though, she felt something. A feeling. But she didn't know what feeling.

So she had never spoken to him. She had no reason to, after all. He was vaguely familiar to her, but that wasn't any reason for her to talk to him. He wasn't one of the popular people. She spoke to the popular people only because of necessity - otherwise, she preferred to keep to herself as much as possible. Her mistress had long drilled into her that it was demeaning of herself, to talk to mortals. Unless it was absolutely necessary for her goals.

But then, she had spoken to him today - because she had seen the name on the scrap of paper. Miku Kagamine. Miku would be her, she assumed...but who was the Kagamine? So she had asked him for his name. Len Kagamine. That was his name, and for some reason that name sent a shiver down her spine. Especially the name Kagamine. Why was it so hauntingly familiar...like she had heard it before?

Blonde hair, cerulean eyes...Len Kagamine...Kagamine. Why was it just so unnervingly familiar? Frowning, she pushed the sense of familiarity away. There was no need for her to concentrate on that. Only her goals were important, the job her mistress had tasked her to do. Anyway, feelings from the heart were useless and feeble. She didn't need any feelings whatsoever, nothing save for animal lust.

Miku Kagamine. At the thought, her lips tilted up into a smile. So Len wished to take her to be his bride, then? How strange. It was the first time she had come across someone who wanted to marry her, instead of to simply use her for pleasure. She thought that this boy was rather unique, because of that - most people wanted sex from her, but no commitment.

This boy wished for a long-term relationship with her, it seemed. It wasn't the first time she had seen someone doodling about her on scraps of paper - but usually, they wrote about how much they wanted to have sex with her. They didn't combine her name with their own. It was rather...sweet, almost. Were it not for the fact that he desired her only because of the lust she was enshrouded in. He didn't like her for her.

Miku felt a little sad at the thought. Her mistress had not granted her the ability to love - but she hadn't taken away her capability to feel. Miku could love, but not to a very large extent, because her body was unwilling to go against the orders of her creator. The only reason why she could love at all was because Meiko had granted her the ability to make her own decisions, to think for herself.

But ultimately, because she was merely a doll, her own opinions didn't matter. She was just an animated doll - she had to obey her mistress, even if she disagreed with whatever her mistress had told her to do. Since her mistress, Luka Megurine, had forbidden her from falling in love, Miku didn't want to go against that order...even though she could love, to a slight degree. She could feel, despite what Luka had ordered. She could both lust and love.

But no one ever loved her...no one ever wanted her for more than her looks, her body. Everyone was interested in her, but only because of the lust spell. Only because she was perfect, in their eyes. No one ever tried to look deeper. She was only a doll, but she was a person too. And she had feelings. She was more than a sex toy, though she tried hard to suppress her thoughts about that. She was created to be a lust doll.

She wasn't supposed to go against the idea of that. She wasn't supposed to be dissatisfied with the idea of being a mere toy. She wasn't supposed to want to be a human. Humans were weak creatures, and she was sent to the mortal world to crush people under her feet. So she had no reason to want to be one of these weak, foolish beings. She was jealous, though.

Humans could love and live. They could live a satisfying, fulfilling life. Whereas she could only lead a meaningless, empty existence as a lust doll, existing for sex and temptation. She was tired of it, but she couldn't show it to anyone or tell anyone about her exhaustion. Especially not her mistress. She could only stay silent. She wasn't supposed to want to love...

Only one person had ever loved her, and she had only ever loved that one person. Only that person had viewed her as more than a mere toy, as someone who deserved to be held and cherished...someone so far back in the past, she could barely remember who he had been.

It was a love that she didn't want to remember, so she had buried his name, his face, his very identity in the black void that was forgetfulness. It had been a mistake, committed during the foolishness of youth. She had just been created, just let loose on the human world - she had met a man shortly after her arrival there.

He had just lost his wife to a disease, and he had been feeling lonely. A young widower, someone widowed far before his time. He had found her, unconscious, in front of his doorstep, and he had taken her in, the lust doll with nowhere to go, the lust doll who only had one objective to fulfil - to destroy all humans spiritually, to make them hate the idea of love. To make them wish they had never loved, that they had never once laid eyes upon her.

To shatter their weak, fragile spirits. That was her mistress's revenge upon the human race, since one mortal had dared to spurn her, had dared to think that he was above the gods. But this man hadn't been very interested in her body, not that way - he had been mourning his dead wife, who he had clearly loved very dearly. She had wondered why he didn't lust after her that way. Well, he had, but not as much as other people did. She found that very strange.

She had stayed with him, returning to his home at night to sleep, but staying out in the day to carry out what her mistress had ordered her to do. She hadn't done the same thing to the man who had taken her in, though - she hadn't wanted to, nor had he been interested in her, not that way. He sought not sex from her, but rather comfort and companionship, both of which were things she had gladly provided.

It had been...nice, to know someone who didn't want her for just sex and pleasure alone. Over time, she had developed feelings for him - and he had slowly fallen in love with her too. Someone had looked past the lust spell, past the inhuman beauty, to the person underneath. He had fallen in love with her, and he had told her that. She had been willing to settle down with him, to defy her mistress just for him.

But then her mistress had found out and killed him. When she found out about that, she had wanted to kill herself too. But then her mistress had forbidden her from killing herself, and she had no choice but to obey her command. It was shortly after that she had tried to evade the sex rule - she hadn't wanted any other man, not after his death - but then she had become trapped in a clay figurine, unable to move or be heard, though able to see and hear.

And that had been a fate worse than death itself. This was the reason why now, she was a jaded lust doll. It was all because of this. Miku had loved one man, and only him, and Luka had killed him. Because Miku had defied Luka's orders to never love. She wasn't supposed to love. So the Goddess of Love had punished her for loving...by killing the man she had loved.

But Miku couldn't hate the woman who had given her life. So she had continued in her life, but she had hated sex from then on. She never wanted anything to do with sex anymore - now, she did it only to survive. She carried out Luka's orders, tearing down confidence with relish, because it was the only thing which could distract her from the gaping hole which had been left behind, in her heart.

The gaping hole which could never be filled, never again. No one could ever repair her broken heart, the heart which had sworn never to love again. Love was just much too painful for her to bear - she was only a lust doll, after all, and she wasn't supposed to love. She was a lust doll meant to punish mortals, and she did just that - because mortals meant nothing to her now. None of them were ever like _him._

The one person she had ever loved had died for that love. She would never love again - she couldn't. She couldn't go against her orders, nor did she want to fall for someone ever again. No one else had been able to look past her lust spell, to want for something more from her. Mortals were all the same. They wanted only sex from her - so she would punish them for that. She would give them what they craved, then destroy them for that same craving.

No mortal had ever wanted her for anything else, other than this Len Kagamine. The tight knot which had formed in her chest at the memory of her doomed love lessened, and she glanced across at the blonde. He was staring resolutely in front, ignoring her gaze, the piece of paper still crumpled in his fist.

Would he be any different from the rest?


	4. Reminiscise

A soft moan escaped her lips as she looped her arms around his neck, her back arching as he leant down to graze his teeth against her neck. Their naked bodies were intertwined, slick with sweat - well, his body had sweat. Hers didn't...since she couldn't perspire to begin with.

''Damn, Hatsune,'' he hissed against her neck. ''You're so gorgeous, you know that?'' his fingers were clutching at her shoulders, and she smirked at that, reaching up to slide her fingers down his cheek. He gritted his teeth at her touch, and her smirk widened slightly.

''Of course I know that,'' she purred silkily. ''Why else would you be in my bed right now, hm, Akaito?'' the red haired boy just arched an eyebrow at her comment, a sly smile of his own curving his lips. Miku sighed, internally - Akaito Shion, cousin to Kaito Shion, and one of the notorious playboys of the school. One day, she would put him in his rightful place...

She would make him regret ever becoming so very complacent. If there was one thing she hated, then it had to be playboys and their overconfident, arrogant attitudes. They thought that they were the gods' gift to mortal women, that all they had to do was crook a finger, and girls would flock to them, surrounding them. They believed that they were able to obtain any girl they wanted, whenever they wanted.

So they thought that they were irresistible, hm? Miku would show them exactly what irresistible was. The only reason why Akaito had been invited to her house today was because she was too close to the one week limit. So she had allowed him to satisfy his craving for her, just once - for she wanted to live. That was her main objective now...to survive. Her second main priority was her mistress's orders.

Akaito leant his head down for a kiss, a kiss on the lips, but she turned her head away, pressing her hand against his face to prevent him from kissing her. He frowned at that, but he didn't try to kiss her again, and she felt rather relieved at that. She didn't want to be kissed by him.

To be honest, she didn't want to be kissed by anyone. Kisses on the cheek, on the neck, on anywhere else - she accepted those. She gave those out. But a kiss, to the lips? No. She didn't allow that. Sex did not necessarily indicate love, but to her a kiss did. Kisses were something extra, something that wasn't necessary.

After all, humans were sexual beings. They couldn't resist the temptation, the allure, the animal magnetism of sex and pleasure. Humans were animals, and sex was an animalistic act - even if they tried to disguise and hide such an primal act by calling sex 'making love'. But love? What was love? She didn't love, and neither did humans. All they had was lust.

Sex was necessary for humans. Kisses were not. Kisses were something that was given to loved ones, something extra, something affectionate. She existed for sex, not for kisses - she existed for lust, not for affection. Kisses were not important or necessary, not like sex. Kisses were...an indication of love. Sex was not. She wasn't supposed to love, so she didn't kiss, for kisses meant love, not mere lust.

Sex was lust. Kisses, lips to lips...Miku had always considered kissing more of a tender thing than an act borne of desire. She had only ever kissed one man, the man she had loved, so far back in the past - and after his death, she had not loved again. She had not kissed again, for she didn't find anyone deserving of anything other than animal sex. She satisfied carnal cravings, but not the cries of the heart.

Since no one loved her, why should she kiss any single one of them? Since all they wanted was her body, she gave her body freely. After all, none of these mortals she trysted with ever deserved anything else from her. Not a single one of them would ever know what her love was like...because none of them loved her. They thought they loved her. They claimed they did.

She knew better. If they loved her, they would mind sharing her the way they did now. They would want to keep her for themselves - it would hurt them, if they saw the way she freely gave herself to others. But not one of them cared, so long as they got their fix. All they wanted was her body. They wanted no commitment, no affection - just pleasure.

They thought that the lust they felt for her was love, but it wasn't. Lust was not the same as love. If they really did love her...they would fight to keep her for themselves. Yet all those people who claimed to love her were also willing to share her amongst themselves. Like she was a toy, passed along to numerous different hands. Like an expensive possession that none of them could keep for too long.

She was a whore, though no one would ever say that to her. But she knew it, and they all knew it. She gritted her teeth at the thought - another reason she hated the weekly sex condition. She detested the way it let people look down upon her...like she was nothing more than a toy. She had feelings too, despite what they thought.

She elicited desire, heady, uncontrollable desire. She did not cause love...Akaito ran his fingers down her cheek, and she shivered, flinching away. He cocked an eyebrow at her. ''Why, what happened?'' he asked, at the same time leaning down to brush his lips against her neck.

She shot him a seductive grin, her fingers twirling through his silky red hair. ''Well...why don't we go for another round?'' she whispered, voice husky, making him shudder and moan against her. ''If you love me, if you want me to love you fully, then make it so.'' A smirk graced her full lips as she murmured the lie. Love? She would never love him. Not ever.

If she had to give her body away to others, then she might as well let him have as much of her as possible. She didn't allow herself any pleasure, but it certainly would be fun to let him believe that she loved him...right before she tore him down and ripped him to pieces.

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She had showered after Akaito had finally left, and now she was lying awake in bed, listless. This house, this giant mansion she lived in...her mistress had been the one to pay for it. Luka always ensured that her lust doll was kept in utmost comfort, wherever she moved to.

It could get lonely, though. With no one around. Luka had insisted that she live in a large, luxurious mansion. Miku appreciated her mistress's thoughtfulness, but being all alone in such a big place...well, she didn't like it. She was the only person in this mansion, and it made her feel so lonely, sometimes.

Thinking and thinking, she didn't know when she had fallen asleep. But then she noticed that the scene before her eyes wasn't that of her bedroom, and she knew that she was asleep. Miku liked dreams - she was a lucid dreamer, and controlling what she could do in her dreams was always fun. She wondered what kind of dream she would be having this time.

Blinking, she stared down at the soft white sheets she was lying on - then she tensed. Dream? No, this was no dream. This was a memory. A memory...of what? What was this? It was so familiar - but all she could do was sit there, helpless, for she couldn't move her body at all. She couldn't change her memory.

This was a memory, not a dream, so she couldn't change anything about it. She was trapped in her body, unable to do anything but watch what was happening. It was strange - she rarely ever had dream-memories. Usually such occurrences were triggered when she saw something very familiar...something which she thought she had long forgotten about.

But what had she forgotten about? What had she forgotten, and how had she been reminded of it in such a way that it would cause her to dream about memories of the past?

''Don't leave me,'' a voice whispered from behind her, and she felt lean arms slide around her bare waist, cool breath brushing against the back of her neck. She shivered, her hands instantly reaching down to cover his hands.

Who was he? She suddenly felt so safe...but so sad, at the same time. Why didn't he want her to leave? No one ever wanted her to stay. No one ever wanted any commitment. They wanted sex and pleasure, then they left her. She was nothing more than a whore, after all. Whores weren't loved. Their job was to fulfil carnal cravings, but they weren't loved or kept.

''Why?'' she breathed, feeling his arms tighten around her. She didn't know why he was just so familiar...even though she had no idea who this new person was. That familiarity, the way he spoke to her...she gasped, in her mind. This man. The man she had once loved, the man she had loved until he had been killed?

''I just don't want you to leave,'' he murmured into her ear. ''I don't want to lose you. I'm so tired of losing the people that I care about. I don't want to lose yet another person. You won't leave me like everyone else, right? Miku?''

''I have to leave,'' she glanced away. ''You know I have to. I don't believe in commitments. You know what I do each day, in the morning before I come back here. What makes you think that I expected anything else from you?'' To her own ears, her voice sounded choked. Like she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

''Even if you don't expect anything from me, I expect more from myself,'' came the answer, and she was pulled gently backwards, her back against a hard body. Blonde hair fell over her shoulder, blonde hair which she could see out of the corner of her eyes. Blonde hair...''You know, every day I saw you leave me, every day I knew you were going to those other men...you don't know how I felt about it,'' he mumbled.

''How did you feel about it?'' For some reason, she desperately wanted to know what he thought. Why did he want her to stay with him? No one she had ever done this with had ever wanted to stay with her. She was paid, and she left, off to find someone else to seduce and tear apart. It was easy to crush the spirit of mortals, for they believed that they loved her when they actually did not. Why was he so special?

She followed her mistress's orders. What she did was she seduced people, got them to believe that they loved her, then tore them to pieces by denying them her body. It was simple. She made use of their lust. Through their lust for her, they were helpless - she was the master, and they were her begging little slaves. Slaves which didn't want her to stay. But this person...was he a slave, if he was different from the rest? If he wanted her with him?

''I was jealous,'' his voice wavered a little. ''Yes, I was mourning my wife's death. You explained your spell to me before...so I knew that what I was experiencing for you wasn't real. I loved my wife, even after her death. But then slowly, I started to accept her passing. You alone made me smile. After a while...every time I saw you leave...'' his grip on her tightened, ''I couldn't help but feel jealous. I wanted you to stay...''

Jealous? She didn't understand what was jealousy. No one was ever jealous that she did what she did. To them, so long as she returned to give them more pleasure, they were satisfied - no one ever became jealous that she was spending time with other people. He...he was the first. How strange. He was jealous?

''What are you jealous of?'' she asked softly, almost timidly. There was a soft, almost inaudible sigh as he buried his face in her long teal hair, his cool breath fanning out against her skin. She shivered again. Why was he able to affect her to such a degree? What was this...feeling that she was experiencing right now?

Miku knew, in her mind, that she ought to know what was happening. This was her own memory, after all. But it was a memory she had forgotten, so everything was new to her. She had no idea what might happen next, what this man might next say to her. She had forgotten everything, but she wanted so badly to recall.

''Those other men,'' he said simply. ''The ones that you leave me to be with. I keep watching, though you never knew...you didn't know that I was watching you walk away, and you didn't know how I felt about it. I felt...like you were taking a piece of me away with you,'' he nuzzled into her neck. ''Don't leave me again. Please?''

''I can't fall in love,'' she told him emptily, though it hurt her to say that. ''Not with anyone. Not with you. Lust is not the same as love - you don't really love me. You will find someone else you can really love. Someone better.''

''If I didn't love you, I wouldn't feel this way right now. You told me before that no one ever wanted you to stay. That they use you for pleasure, and only pleasure. But I don't want you for pleasure,'' his whisper was barely audible. ''I want you for your companionship. I like your smile, the way you laugh and talk. I want your presence more than anything.''

His hand slid up her body, cupping her cheek. She drew in a deep breath. ''I can't,'' she hissed, adding force into her words. ''Leave me alone,'' she added, pulling away from him to quickly slide off the bed, running out of the room, her breathing uneven. He didn't protest, and just before she left the room, she couldn't resist turning around for one last glimpse of him.

His blue eyes were filled with hurt as he stared back at her, his blonde hair loose around his angelically handsome face to brush against his shoulders. So familiar...who was he? She couldn't remember his name. Kagamine...Kagamine something. But who was he?

Miku shot awake, still breathing hard. Sitting up, she leant back against her headboard, drawing her knees up to her chin as she stared, stunned, at the wall before her. What had she just remembered? She could almost taste his name, his name on the tip of her tongue...

Kagamine. There was a Kagamine in his name somewhere. But who was he? So familiar...he looked like Len, she realised. Blinking, she tensed. Len? But it couldn't be Len. Could it be? They shared the same name, after all. And they certainly did resemble, Len and her long dead lover. Little wonder she was reminded of her past, whenever she saw Len Kagamine.

But how could her dead beloved possibly be Len? Len was here. He most definitely had not existed in her past. Right? She shook her head, closing her eyes in frustration. Perhaps all this was simply a mere coincidence. Now that she thought more deeply about it, perhaps her beloved hadn't had Kagamine for a last name. Perhaps his last name had been Kagami, or Kagene, or something similar to Kagamine.

Either way, she was sure it hadn't been Kagamine. Possibly Kagami, since the two names were very similar. Yes, her memory was playing tricks on her. How could she trust her memory when she hadn't thought of her past lover for countless centuries? It was only recently, after meeting Len, had she begun to think of her dead beloved once again.

No, he couldn't have been a Kagamine, not like Len. Miku was sure about that. And their resemblance...again, she couldn't be sure he resembled Len that much. After all, her memories weren't reliable - she hadn't thought of him in such a long time. Yes, this was a coincidence, sheer coincidence, and she would do well to forget all about her dream.

She glanced around her room, heart sinking. Even if she denied the dream, the resemblance between her love and Len, she couldn't deny that after that dream, the empty bed made her feel even more lonely than usual.


	5. Memory Of A Dream

Len let out an irritated sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. The whole day, the only thing which had stuck in his mind was a pair of hauntingly familiar green eyes...why were they just so familiar? That vivid emerald was beautiful. Dark green, with flecks of lighter green in them.

And he wasn't able to sleep because those eyes were the only thing he had been able to concentrate on. The sense of familiarity he felt with Miku, with those green eyes...he couldn't explain it. But he knew that he had seen those eyes before somewhere. Somewhere, he had seen her before, some time back in the past...

''Where have I seen you before...?'' he asked aloud, still staring up at the ceiling. Right. Like asking a blank piece of wall would help him to find out the answer. He had never seen her before, not in this lifetime, he was sure. So he had to wonder where exactly he had seen those green eyes before...her lovely emerald eyes, vivid and clear. Beautiful. Expressive.

Not only could he remember the colour of her eyes, but he knew all the different emotions which could flicker through them. When she was happy, her green eyes almost glowed. When she was sad, that beautiful green turned dull and listless. He had seen those green eyes filled with unbearable sadness before, somewhere...the memory made him ache.

_Why do I know all this? She's never talked to me before, not really. I don't know her at all. I've never even had these thoughts, not before I saw her eyes up close, today. Why does she affect me this way? Do I...do I know who she is? Was she someone from my past, someone who I had met once before and forgotten?_

_No, not likely. It can't be. How could I possibly have ever forgotten someone as beautiful as she is? But then...there's no other explanation as to why I find her so familiar. Is there? I don't believe in past lives...but is it possible that such things exist? And she was once part of my life? Who was she to me, then?_

He turned over to lie on his side, frowning as he thought. Past lives. Reincarnation. No, there was no such thing as that. Humans had one life, and that was all. There were no second lives, no reincarnation...there was no such thing as a second chance, and he wouldn't start believing in something like that just because he found Miku Hatsune's green eyes familiar.

Still, there was something hauntingly familiar about her. It was her eyes, her eyes which had started this whole thing. Maybe tomorrow he would try to take another close look at her eyes. Maybe then, he would actually remember something. Something other than this frustratingly vague sense of recognition.

After all, there wasn't anything else he could do. He had her number, like most of the school did - everyone passed her number along, since everyone wanted her, and he had managed to get hold of her number too. But he didn't want to send her a message asking her whether they had met before. She would probably think he was weird. Or that he had nothing better to do other than to ask her weird questions.

Besides...she probably had some boy in her bed with her. His heart twisted at the thought, but he ignored the ache he could feel in his chest. It didn't mean anything to him. He wasn't her boyfriend, no matter what he wished, so he had no right to comment. Or any right to dislike what she did with other boys. How could he bother when she barely knew who he was? Still, he didn't like the thought of that.

_If there has to be someone sharing her bed, then that person ought to be me, _the whisper floated through his mind, savage and wanting. Blinking, he shook his head, frowning at the uncharacteristic thought. Suppressing the same thought, he closed his eyes, trying to get to sleep. No, he wasn't going to think about how she was willingly sharing herself with others...he bit his tongue, so hard that it drew blood.

The metallic taste hit the back of his mouth, making him gag. Coughing, he wiped his mouth, throwing his blankets up over his body as he huddled under the covers. Squeezing his eyes shut more forcefully than required, he tried to clear his mind and go to sleep. There wasn't any point to staying up and torturing himself, after all. Though he did wish that she was alone.

He would rather that the beautiful tealette be alone, by herself in her bed, than be with any other person. Any person other than himself. Waves of sleepiness came to him as he thought about that, and he was too tired to deny the strange thought. Normally, he wouldn't think about Miku that way. It was very unlike him. But this time he didn't bother to deny it. He was too tired to push the truth away, this time.

The only thing he wanted to do was to sleep. The last coherent thought he could remember thinking before everything turned to darkness was how much he wanted to hold Miku tight in his arms, while he slept peacefully. Just like he had before, just like the way he once had in the past. Before he had been torn away from her. Before he had been able to say goodbye.

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_I'm jealous - no. I'm not. How could I possibly be jealous? I told her and myself that I didn't like her that way. She explained the lust spell to me before. I try not to lust after her, the way everyone does. I'm not jealous of them. What she does isn't supposed to be any of my business. Right? Because I'm supposed to still be in love with my dead wife._

_But then...as I watch her walking away from me...why do I feel this aching pain in my chest? It feels like she's taking a little piece of my heart away with her, as I watch her leave me behind. I don't like it. I don't like this pain, and I don't like this feeling. This feeling that I'm being abandoned, being forgotten. She makes me laugh, and I don't want to lose her._

_Is this love? It's confusing. Love isn't supposed to hurt, right? Maybe it's retribution for what I did, just a few months ago. Maybe I shouldn't have denied her what she wanted. Then maybe I wouldn't be feeling this way right now...maybe I wouldn't be regretting everything I had did then, now. The past can't be changed, anyway. So there's no point thinking about what could have been._

''What makes you think that?'' she rasped, backing away from him. He followed after her, finally managing to trap her between wall and his body, and she glanced at the arms he had used to pin her in with, trapping her so that she couldn't escape. So that she couldn't leave him again. He was so tired of watching her leave him behind. And he was so tired of feeling all this jealousy, this sadness. This agony.

Because the pain of watching her walk away was killing him. It had been hurting him for a long time, and he wanted it to stop, any way it could. He had thought that the one night would satisfy him, that maybe the pain he had felt had been because it had been too long since he had last been with a girl. But the pain hadn't faded. This love refused to leave. Because it was love, and not just lust? Lust she had elicited?

''Why won't you believe that I can love you?'' he asked her, his voice the same husky tone as her own was. He almost couldn't recognise his own voice - he had never heard himself sound so desperate before. She had been avoiding him lately, leaving the house before he woke up, and returning long after he had fallen asleep. Desperation had led to him waiting up for her, and now they were finally able to talk.

''No one can love me!'' she raised her voice, her hands reaching up, her fingers wrapping tightly around his wrists. To push his arms out of the way? ''I'm a lust doll! I don't...no one loves me,'' her voice hitched, breaking a little. He could hear the tiny sob she had tried to conceal. ''No one can see past the lust that I cause,'' she whispered, and the sadness in her voice was heartbreaking. It was breaking him.

''I can,'' he whispered, reaching down to brush the back of his hand against her cheek. She glanced up at him, her green eyes disbelieving. They were dull and listless, the way they always were whenever she was feeling sad. He hated that. He wanted them to be glowing, glowing with the joyfulness he had come to associate her with. ''I can love you. But only if you'll let me. Give me a chance, Miku. Please.''

''I want to,'' her murmur was barely audible. ''But all you're feeling is lust. Even if you don't know, I can tell...it's lust, animal lust. Because no one can ever love me,'' she hung her head, refusing to meet his gaze. ''No one loves a lust doll,'' she chanted quietly. ''Because no one can love something which isn't human. I was created for an animal use. For sex. And nothing humane can reach me. It's not my purpose.''

''You are not an animal,'' he hissed, tilting her head up so that she had to look at him. Her green eyes were wide, and he could see his own reflection in those large emerald orbs. His reflection, with his bright blonde hair and slanted cerulean blue eyes, that chin length blonde hair loose and hanging around his face, as usual. He wondered how she viewed him. What was he to her? ''You deserve love, Miku.''

''No one else thinks that way,'' she said, her voice small. ''You don't have to tell me this. I'm...I'm used to it. I know what it's like. I know that I'm not supposed to be loved. You don't need to tell me otherwise, because I know that it won't change. But thank you for telling me that you love me, even if you don't, not really...because you don't know how happy that makes me feel,'' she gave him a tremulous smile.

''I'm not lying. I told you that I love you, and I mean it. From the very bottom of my heart, I love you,'' he whispered. Before she could retreat, he cupped her face in his hands, leaning down so that he could press his lips against hers. The moment their lips brushed, he moaned - it felt so right. She tasted like honey and caramel, the sweet taste a heady one that he knew he could just get addicted to.

She kissed him back, the originally chaste kiss deepening to become something hungry and searching. Needy. She moaned too, against his lips, her arms reaching up to loop around his neck as they explored each other's mouths with their tongues. His hands dropped from her face to her waist, tugging her slim, petite body closer to him. He needed her, and he knew one thing - without her, he would cease to exist.

He had initiated the kiss, but she was the one to pull away first, breathing heavily, her arms still around his neck. ''I can't,'' she said softly, her green eyes looking stunned. ''I can't do this. I'm not allowed to love...you shouldn't try. Don't love me. If it's really love, and not lust...if it's love, as you claim, then don't love me. Because loving me will bring you nothing but pain,'' her voice carried a warning. But he didn't care.

''What if I told you that I didn't mind the pain?'' he asked, his voice as quiet as her own. ''All I want is to be with you, and it doesn't matter to me whatever happens as a result of my feelings for you. I just want to hold you close, and make sure that you never run away from me...you'll let me hold you, won't you?'' he heard his own voice break a little as he spoke. He was so tired of her running away from him, and all he wanted...was to hold her close to him.

''Are you a masochist?'' she asked bluntly, regarding him with those beautiful green eyes. ''Because I don't understand why you want to do something to hurt yourself. Aren't humans supposed to run away from whatever hurts them? It's animal instinct. Why do you want to do something when you've already been warned that it'll bring you nothing but pain? That's nothing but the act and the promise of a fool,'' her voice hitched, and she looked away.

He smiled at her. ''I'm not running away. I don't like pain, and I don't want to do anything which would hurt me. But I want to love you, even if it brings me nothing but pain. Because love isn't an animal instinct, not like lust. Love can transcend our instinct to flee from pain. I'll prove to you that I do more than just lust for you. I love you,'' Gently, he took hold of her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles. ''Give me a chance to prove that love. Please?''

She sighed, then her green eyes filled with some kind of emotion for a brief while, too brief for him to identify what emotion it was. Jerkily, she nodded, her eyes returning to a carefully neutral look. ''If you want to suffer from the pain of unrequited love, then you're free to do so,'' she reached up to brush her lips against his cheek. ''But I take no responsibility should you get your heart broken. Because I've warned you. I cannot love or be loved.''

He pulled her towards him, her soft body pliant against his own. Burying his face in her long silky teal hair, he inhaled. The scent of roses. Roses in full bloom, a heady and intoxicating scent. He could drown in that scent - so long as he could hold her, he could die happy. ''You've warned me,'' he murmured into her ear. ''But no matter how much you warn me, I'll stay. Because I want to try and change your mind. One day, I'll earn your love, Miku. One day.''

His eyes snapped open, and then Len was breathing heavily, gazing up at the same white ceiling he had been staring at, a mere while ago. Slowly, he sat up in bed, running a shaky hand through his bright blonde hair. That dream...what had that dream been about? It felt more like a memory that an actual dream...but he knew that he had liked that dream. The person he had been, inside that dream...

He thought that it had been him. But at the same time, it hadn't been. The person who had been holding the girl close had been him, but at the same time it hadn't been. He didn't know who it was - he couldn't be sure of their identity - but then he couldn't deny that the person was strangely familiar. As familiar as those vivid green eyes were. Who was that person? Was it himself? Yet, it hadn't felt like it...

Frustrated, he shook his head, trying to remember the dream. It was already fading away, like water trickling out of cupped palms. The harder he tried to hold on to the memory of the dream, the faster the dream seemed to flow away from his grasp. No, he couldn't seem to recall anything, nothing more than a familiar stranger, and Miku...Miku had appeared in his dream. He was sure about that.

One thing he would never forget was her green eyes, those vivid green eyes which had beckoned to him, even from within the dream. Those green eyes had called out to him, and he remembered being unable to resist the allure of those big emerald eyes...he had loved her, even in his dream. His dream of a memory. Did this mean that he really did have a past life? And even then, in his past life, he had loved her?

No. A mere dream didn't indicate anything. It was nothing but a dream, and dreams were nothing but images, detailed stories borne of imagination and daydreaming. He had been daydreaming about Miku too much recently, most definitely. Or else he wouldn't have dreamed about her, not that way. He was sure about that. True, he had dreamed of her this way before, but not in such a detailed way...

Most of the dream had faded away by now. The only thing he could remember was the person who had felt like himself, and yet not, as well as Miku herself. The Miku who had seemed so sad, so reluctant to hurt him - though he couldn't recall how she was supposed to have hurt him. The Miku who...he had loved. The Miku he had loved with all his heart, even though she had tried her hardest to push his feelings away, to deny him.

He also remembered one more thing. A term he didn't understand. Frowning, he gazed down at his white bedsheets. ''What's a lust doll...?''


	6. Lust Over Love

_**Solitaryloner: **I'm currently ill. So sorry if this chapter stinks. I tried my best..._

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Miku was getting ready for school, still thinking about the dream she had last night. Dreaming of her previous love...it was starting to bring forth all of the memories she didn't want to recall, and she didn't like it. She had buried all of the old memories because she didn't want to hurt anymore, but then just because of that one small dream, the numerous efforts she had made to forget would all go to waste.

The memory of a hand caressing a pale cheek, a smile as someone tilted her chin upwards, blue eyes seeking her green ones out. She gritted her teeth, trying to push the thoughts away. There was no point in remembering the past, because it wasn't going to bring him back. Especially when she couldn't even recall his name, or what he really looked like. Except for his blue eyes and blonde hair...

''Miku, sweetheart?'' A familiar, feminine voice sounded behind her as she reached out to the clothes hanger hanging on the towel rail, pulling her uniform shirt off. Miku twitched, then slowly she released her hand from the hanger, turning around to face the source of the voice. Luka Megurine stood there, her aqua blue eyes appraising her semi-naked body with a look of satisfaction on her beautiful face.

''Mistress,'' Miku bowed towards the Goddess of Love, planting a sunny smile on her face. The smile felt so fake, but she still plastered it on, like it would protect her from anything she didn't want to hear. It wasn't that she detested Luka, or anything that the goddess had to say to her - it was just that, after that dream about her lover, she couldn't help remembering how Luka had callously ordered for him to die.

_''Kill him, Miku,'' Luka's blue eyes flashed with spite. ''I drilled into your head repeatedly that you're not supposed to love! You are a lust doll. You don't practice love. What you experience is lust, not love, and if you disobey my orders you have to be punished. That man will die. And he will die by your own hand. I can't think of any other punishment more suitable than that.''_

_''I can't kill him,'' she gasped, backing away from the enraged goddess, her back hitting the wall. ''I love him! You're the Goddess of Love, Mistress - why do you not allow me to love? Don't you understand love? The way I feel about this man? Why can't I be allowed to love? We're not doing anything wrong!''_

_''Everything about it is wrong,'' Luka hissed. ''You are not human, Miku. You do not love. Don't forget that you're not human! Even if you marry him, so what? You won't be able to bear any children. Would that man like it? What if his love for you begins to lessen? What if he seeks other women out, behind your back? I'm doing this for your own good.''_

_''You don't understand him! He's not like that - he knows that I'm a lust doll, and about my lust spell. He resisted, he managed to resist the enchantment, and he told me he loved me! He...he won't do that. I'm sure of it.''_

_''My dear, sweet doll. You haven't experienced Life enough to know all about the sins of humans, and their wicked ways,'' Luka's voice hardened. ''Humans can love. But you cannot, because you're not a human. You are nought but a mere doll. The 'love' you feel is illusionary. This will be a warning, then. If you won't kill him...watch me do it for you.''_

Her fingers curled into fists at the memory, but quickly she shook her head, pushing the memory away. That was all back in the past, back when she had first been created. She had been young and naive then, and she now knew that what her Mistress had said was true. Humans couldn't be trusted. They were all greedy and selfish - she had seen many instances of men cheating on their spouses.

But even if they were selfish and greedy, they could love. Whereas she could not. Was there any wonder why she envied the humans she had been sent to tear down? They could do something that she could not, simply because her Mistress did not allow such a thing. She hated that Luka had no problems with humans falling in love, but simply forbade her doll from doing the same thing. Why?

''I see that you're doing well?'' Luka tilted her head to one side, still studying her carefully. Miku nodded, turning around to the hanger to take her shirt. She tugged the soft white material over her body, hiding her skin from Luka's view. Whenever Luka came to her, it was to inspect her body, and make sure that she was doing fine both mentally and physically. Or that was what Luka claimed to do, at least.

Miku knew that the main reason why Luka was here was because she wanted to make sure that her lust doll hadn't fallen in love. Again. Luka had found out about the previous time only because she realised that Miku had stopped sleeping with other men. And that had made the goddess feel suspicious, of course. Miku couldn't ever do anything without the goddess knowing about it. She was always being watched.

And she hated the feeling of constant surveillance. It made her feel like she was a trapped slave, someone with no choice other than to carry out what her Mistress ordered her to do. In a way, that was all she was - she was a lust doll, and that meant that she was bound to her creator. She was a doll with no choices of her own. She envied how humans had free will, free will which she didn't have.

And that, along with how humans could love while she could not, were both personal factors in fuelling her need to crush them all. She would do so, even if Luka had not told her to...but then again, if Luka hadn't wanted her to destroy humans through supposed love, would Miku have been created? Or would she still be nothing? Her consciousness had been created through the goddess's hands...

''I'm doing as well as I have always been, the past few millennia,'' Miku answered, fingers pushing each button through their holes deftly as she buttoned the long sleeved white shirt up. Over the shirt, she put on the school's jacket, which was black and threaded through with red embroidery which formed the school crest on the right side of the black jacket. Through it all, Luka stared at her, still observing her.

Observing her for any changes in her behaviour, she knew. Not that there would be any changes for Luka to notice. Miku hadn't changed in years. Because she hadn't done anything that Luka had forbidden her from doing. Stepping into her light grey uniform skirt with its white hem, she then turned around for her Mistress to see. Luka arched an eyebrow as her eyes travelled all the way from her face to her feet.

''The uniform makes you look good,'' was Luka's final verdict, after much intense and unnecessary scrutiny. ''As to be expected of someone as lovely as you, my little lust doll,'' her full lips curved up into a smile. ''So, who are your targets this time, in this school? I'm sure you've ascertained whose hearts you want to break, this time. My my, the trail of broken hearts you've left behind - it's so long.''

''As you wished?'' Miku turned around, shouldering her black sling bag and stepping out of her lavish bathroom. Luka followed after her, as expected, so Miku didn't comment on her Mistress's behaviour. Luka seemed to be in a rather good mood today, and that never boded well for the people around her. Miku wondered what had put Luka into such an excellent mood - the goddess's mood swings were legendary.

''Yes, as I wished. Break all of their hearts, in revenge for how that one man dared to spurn me in the past,'' Luka's smile turned dreamy. ''This will put humans into their proper place. They believe that they are better than the gods, that they can reject us as and when they wish. With you, they'll see perfectly well why they're not at the top. They will be humbled by the fact that their little hearts can even break.''

''I don't understand how having me crush their spirits and hopes helps you to avenge your slight,'' Miku said dully, walking down the stairs. Honestly, she didn't get it. She went around breaking hearts, but it didn't seem like Luka got any advantage out of it. It made her wonder why the Goddess of Love was punishing humans for feeling love. Though of course, what they all felt for her was lust, not love.

''Well...it used to help,'' Luka admitted easily, sliding down the banister instead of taking the stairs. ''It made me feel better that my creation could break hearts, in return for the way I was rejected in the past. The way you crushed deserving humans' spirits and determination put them in their proper place - gods could provide love, and gods could take it all away. But that was all so very long ago...''

''So what's the reason now?'' Miku stilled, her foot about to reach the next step. Luka braked the same time Miku did, and now the Goddess of Love was sitting on the banister, staring directly at her. Her pink hair was slightly messy from the way she had just slid down the stair banister, and now it was flowing over her pale shoulders, making her look radiant. Miku had to wonder how such beauty could be so cruel.

''Because it's fun to watch them in pain,'' Luka shrugged. ''You were my best creation. My favourite lust doll. The way you rejected them, making them all feel dumbfounded that someone dared to reject them...why, it tore their arrogance down, and now they're more humble! I consider this as a favour. After all, they never really loved you. All they wanted was your body...isn't that so, Miku darling?''

Miku nodded hesitantly, knowing it was better to just agree with everything that her Mistress had just said. Luka's blue eyes softened, and she reached out to pat Miku on the head. ''I still remember how innocent you were, when I first fashioned you,'' she said softly. ''But you know now, don't you? Love is painful, in this selfish world. Humans are all selfish. You know I'm doing this all for your own good, don't you?''

Miku nodded again, this time more vigorously. The goddess's sensuous lips curved up into another smile. ''Sweet child. I want nothing but the best for you, of course. If forbidding you from falling in love will prevent you from getting hurt, then that's exactly what I will do. You may dislike me for it, but then you know that what I say makes sense. Love amongst humans is non-existent. It's just lust.''

''If love amongst humans doesn't exist...'' Miku stared into Luka's aqua blue eyes, ''then where do you get your power from? If humans don't love, then where do you get your strength? You're the Goddess of Love, after all. You get stronger through Love, don't you?''

''True,'' Luka admitted readily. ''But don't forget, darling, I'm also the Goddess of Lust. And trust me when I say that humans do lust. And they lust in great abundance. Humans don't love, but they certainly lust. Which is why you are a lust doll, incapable of love. No human can ever truly love, despite their honeyed words and sweet lies. In a way, you're no different from any of them, because humans...they can't truly love.''

With that, the goddess disappeared, leaving Miku alone in the giant mansion once again. She sighed, not knowing whether she ought to feel upset or delighted that the goddess had finally left her alone. Miku disliked what Luka did at times, but at the same time Miku knew that everything the goddess did, she believed that it was for the good of her lust doll. Miku couldn't hate her creator for that, nor did she want to.

Since Luka had disappeared, however, the surge of memories she had been holding back since the goddess's appearance broke through the dam she had constructed in her mind, filling her head with terrible memories of the way Luka had killed her lover, right before her very eyes...Miku gritted her teeth, pushing the vivid images away. His death was the memory she had wanted to forget about the most.

Why did she suddenly remember? After all, she had been doing perfectly well until now, all of her unwanted memories stuffed away into a black void and locked up tight. The way they had been for millennia. Why did she suddenly recall everything...everything except for his name and the way he really looked like? It frustrated her, for she wanted to both forget and remember, this lover that she had long lost.

She wanted to forget, but at the same time she wished that he could be here, by her side, holding a lock of her hair up to his lips...the way he always had, in the past. Sharply, she shook her head - she wasn't going to think about that. The memories had surfaced yesterday night, and she suspected that it was because she had actually talked to Len Kagamine. The boy which had vaguely reminded her of her love.

She both wanted to forget and recall her past. If talking to Len Kagamine could bring back dreams and memories of her past, then...should she avoid him, to avoid all her memories?

Or should she talk to him again?


	7. Good Friends, Maybe?

''Don't think that just because I slept with you means that I have any actual feelings for you,'' Len perked up as he heard a sweetly familiar voice. The voice of Miku Hatsune. Frowning, he turned around - though it was her, it didn't sound like her. She sounded so...cold.

''I want you,'' another voice hissed, clearly agitated. It was yet another familiar voice, the voice of Akaito Shion, one of the popular playboys of the school. The kind of boy who thought that the whole world worshipped them. Len's frown deepened - he didn't like people like Akaito. Boys who thought that girls would swoon the moment they smiled at them.

''But I don't,'' came the empty reply. ''You were nothing more than a night of fun, someone to satisfy a biological itch. I never loved you, Akaito Shion,'' if it was possible, her voice grew even colder, and Len didn't like that either. It didn't sound like her...it was her voice, but it wasn't her. If that even made any sense. Somehow, to him Miku wasn't this cold-hearted. He had always thought of her as...kind.

Where were they? Treading carefully so that his feet didn't make a sound, he slid across to where he thought he could hear the voices coming from. It was coming from one of the empty classrooms - there wasn't really anyone else left in school, since most people had already went home. He was still around because he had to sit for a test he had missed in the library, and he had just finished.

It was getting late...he was rather surprised that there were still people around. Especially alone in the classroom. Some emotion prickled at him - jealousy, perhaps? It was a bitter feeling, rising up in him like bile, making him want to choke. His teeth gritted, and quickly he shoved the feeling away, into the deepest recesses of his mind. He had no right to feel jealous of anyone, after all.

''You can't just tell me that you're breaking up with me like that!'' Akaito's voice became louder, and more obviously irritated. ''You can go and fuck as many guys or girls you want, I don't give a damn. But you can't dump me just because you got sick of me!'' There was a soft hiss of pain, and Len's eyes widened in shock as he immediately looked into the small crack between the door and the frame.

Akaito had Miku trapped between him and the wall at the far end of the classroom, and his fingers were wrapped around her slender wrist tightly, digging into her flesh. Miku was trying to jerk him off, but then Akaito refused to release her, instead leaning down to roughly kiss her on the lips, ignoring her protests as she struggled against him, hitting his back.

At that, Len got pissed. He didn't like that Akaito was kissing Miku - it just wasn't right. Somehow he knew that Akaito wasn't supposed to be kissing the teal haired girl. No one else was allowed to touch her that way...it was obvious that she hated it, that she wanted him to stop. But the redhead was stronger than she was, and he didn't let go, his lips moving against hers frenziedly as he held on tightly to her.

And he didn't like it, not one bit. Not thinking of the possible consequences of his actions, Len flung the door of the classroom wide open, striding in like he had only one goal in life - the struggling couple at the far end of the classroom. At the sound of the door being thrown open, Akaito immediately lifted his head, tearing himself away from the petite tealette as she gasped for air.

Still, he didn't let go, and Len's eyes narrowed as he stared at Akaito's fingers, wrapped around Miku's wrists. Akaito stared at him, looking more startled than angry - possibly because he had no idea that Len had even existed, prior to this encounter. ''Who the hell are you?'' the redhead snapped, ignoring Miku as she tried to wrench her arm free of his grasp. She looked so delicate in his grip.

Providing no reply, Len walked up to the jerk and, without batting an eyelid, drew his fist back and punched him in the face. He reeled backwards, letting go of Miku in the process as she stared at Len, a look of blank shock in her emerald eyes. Absently, she rubbed at her wrist - from the corner of his eyes Len could see that there were faint bruises on her pale skin, from where Akaito had gripped her too hard.

He hated the fact that she had been hurt by this moron. Akaito, having finally recovered from the shock of being hit in the face by someone he didn't even know, came right back at him for more, a scowl on his face. But Len knew that it was going to happen - ducking a wild swing from the taller boy, Len reached up, gripped him tightly by the shoulders, then hurled him, face down, hard onto the cement floor. He allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction.

Though no one was able to tell, Len had a black belt in three different martial arts - taekwondo, judo and karate. And he had effectively made use of all three to form his own unique style of self-defence. Or offensive attacking. It didn't matter, either way. He was rather versatile, and despite his slender, lanky frame, people would be very, very sorry if they ever thought that he would be someone easy to pick on.

Before the taller boy could stagger up, Len had crouched down, effectively choking him by letting his arm press against his throat, at his larynx area. ''Mess with Miku again, and next time I'll make sure that you'll get landed in the hospital for a month,'' Len threatened, his voice a low hiss. Red eyes wide, Akaito opened his mouth, but coughed and spluttered as Len's arm pressed even more forcefully against his neck. Giving up, he made an attempt at nodding.

Eyes still narrowed suspiciously down at the jerk, Len let the redhead up, tensed in case Akaito attempted to do anything. After sitting up, his hand reaching up to rub at his bruised throat, Akaito shot him a baleful glare, then without warning his fist reached out for Len's face. Len was prepared for the idiotic move, though, hand snapping up in reflex to stop the movement of the fist towards his face.

Any idiot would have learnt his lesson after having been hurled onto the floor, as though he was no more than a limp rag doll. It appeared that Akaito was either extremely unhappy with Len...or that the redhead was simply nothing more than a moron. All looks and no substance. Len rather thought that it was the latter - only total fools would ask to be further beaten up, like how Akaito was asking for now.

No, there would be no need for any fancy or impressive moves, not for something as easy as this was. It would be sufficient to just sling the redhead all over the floor, like how Len would do for the previously mentioned rag doll. Akaito really was nothing more than an oversized rag doll - to Len, it was a simple enough matter to drag him all over the place. Akaito had plainly underestimated the blond boy, and that tended to be an extremely grave mistake.

With a heavy sigh, Len rose from the floor, at the same time pulling Akaito up from the ground with him. Without any fuss, the blond boy effortlessly slung the taller boy across his back, slamming him heavily down onto the floor once again. There was the sound of something cracking, and Len wondered if he had broken Akaito's nose - well, that would be wonderful. Not so much for Akaito, but rather for him.

This time, Akaito didn't get up, and unceremoniously Len rolled him over with the tip of his shoe. The redhead was out cold, and Len rolled his eyes. How pathetic. Slinging his black bag further up his shoulder, Len let his gaze drift over to Miku, who was still staring at him, her green eyes wide with surprise. ''Are you okay?'' he asked softly, suddenly losing all the confidence he had had when he had been beating Akaito up. Inwardly, he sighed.

When it came to fighting, he could hold his own. When it came to girls...well, in that department, he was a total, complete utter failure. And he despised the shyness he always gained around the girls he liked - especially around Miku Hatsune. He just didn't understand why he always clammed up, around the girls he liked. The shyness he felt was crippling, and he had no idea how to get rid of this weakness.

''Yeah, I'm fine,'' Miku cast the unconscious boy on the floor a wary look. ''Thanks for rescuing me,'' she added, smiling a little weakly at him. ''I don't know what would have happened, otherwise...'' her voice trailed off, and once again her fingers rubbed absently at her bruised wrist. Slowly, Len walked over to her, and she met his gaze, something rather like curiosity in the depths of her green eyes.

Gently, he reached out for her wrist, and she blinked, allowing him to take hold of it. It was her right wrist, and carefully he held on to her arm, lifting it up so that he could examine her injuries. As his thumb brushed lightly against her smooth skin, he resisted a shiver - this was a medical examination, he reminded himself. He wasn't supposed to be feeling anything other than concern for her bruises. Not right now.

''You should put some ice on it or something,'' he mumbled, his fingers lingering just a little longer than necessary, before he finally released her wrist. ''To bring the swelling down. Do you hurt? I can go over to the sick bay now and get some ice packs for you,'' he offered, not liking the idea of her being in any pain whatsoever. She smiled at him, a genuine, lovely smile, and again he tried not to react.

''No, I don't hurt. It's fine, but thanks for the concern. I appreciate it, Len,'' she nodded at him. He blinked, startled by what he had just heard - Len. She had called him by his name. Honestly, he was rather surprised...after yesterday, he had assumed that she had immediately forgotten about his name. After all, she was popular, beautiful and desired. Whereas he...he was a mere nobody to her.

''What happened between you and Akaito?'' Len finally plucked up the courage to ask. Miku tilted her head, another look of curiosity entering her vivid green eyes, and she shrugged a little, looking away from his own gaze. Her lips pursed, and somehow Len received this feeling that she didn't want to talk about it. Not at any given length, anyway. ''You don't need to say anything if you don't want to,'' he hurried to assure her, not wanting her to feel pressured.

''No, it's okay, it's nothing important anyway,'' she sighed, again casting the unconscious redhead a distasteful glance. ''It's just that...well, I sort of broke up with Akaito, and as you can tell, he wasn't very happy about it. It's as simple as that,'' she leant back against the classroom wall, regarding him with a slight smile on her face. ''Do you think that it's wrong for me to just break up with him like that? Without telling him what went wrong?''

Len knew that the morally correct answer was yes. His brain, his thoughts, they all told him that the correct answer to that question ought to be yes - it was wrong. However, deep inside, he couldn't help but think otherwise. Even though he knew that it was wrong for her to suddenly dump Akaito for no rhyme or reason, he couldn't help rejoicing that she finally no longer had any ties with the idiotic redhead.

So he gave her the truthful answer, the answer that made no sense, but the answer he felt was correct anyway. ''No. I don't think that there's anything wrong about that,'' he replied, trying not to meet her gaze as he saw her eyes widen in surprise. ''But I wonder...there's a reason for why you decided to break up with him, isn't there?'' he asked her hesitantly, reluctant to probe too deeply into her personal life.

She shrugged her slim shoulders elegantly. ''It's not really because I had a reason,'' she said simply. ''It was just because...I became bored. I wanted to tear him down, you see,'' her green eyes became hooded. ''I don't like how arrogant he is, thinking that he's a gift for women from the very gods themselves. So I wanted to give him just a little taste of his own medicine...by playing with him, then just dumping him.''

Ah. ''But...is it worth it?'' he asked, still in that same hesitant manner. ''Is it worth it to just sacrifice your body like that? For the sake of giving them a taste of their own medicine?'' he used the same phrase as she did, tilting his head in confusion. As he spoke, that familiar bitterness reared inside him, making him feel...jealous. Jealous that she gave herself away to others so easily, like she wasn't worth anything. When she was worth so much to him.

The dead expression in her eyes made him worry a little. ''You don't have to bother about that. Whether I mind it or not. There's nothing about me that deserves to feel ashamed of what I'm doing, anyway,'' the bitter smile which crossed her lips then reminded him of the bitter envy he always felt, regarding her and other boys. And he hated that envy. He hated those other boys, too - though he tried hard not to.

''But...'' he was at a loss for what to say. Ducking his head, he stared down at the floor. ''I think you deserve better than this, though,'' he mumbled, feeling his cheeks warm a little as he said that. ''I think you deserve so much more than anything you're getting now,'' he continued in a slightly louder tone of voice. Slowly, in the dead silence which followed, he finally dared to look up, once again meeting her gaze.

Her forest green eyes were filled with bewilderment, but that confused look slowly melted away as she stared at him. A slow smile spread across her lips, then quickly, she leant up and kissed him on the cheek. His blush deepened - he couldn't help it, as he watched her withdraw from him, her eyes dancing with lively mirth. When she was looking mischievous like this...she looked exceptionally beautiful.

''You're so sweet, Len,'' she laughed softly. ''Thank you for that, even though...I know I don't deserve anything more than this. Nothing more than mere animal lust,'' her eyes turned sad for a brief second, and that...made him feel upset as well. ''I think we can become good friends,'' she beamed at him, before turning around and walking out of the classroom. Len blinked after her, stunned by what she had just said.

Just good friends? His heart sank for a quick moment at her words - but then he quickly brightened up. At least that was still a start. Eventually, the beautiful tealette would notice his feelings for her...wouldn't she?


	8. Chapter 8

Miku was walking out of the school. He could see her carrying her black leather bag, her every movement so graceful that she made walking seem like a fluid dance. Mesmerised, he stayed behind to watch for a while, then decided that he wanted to try talking to her.

''Miku!'' Len forced himself to shout, though he almost couldn't bring himself to say that one name. He saw her stiffen, and then the teal haired beauty whipped around, her long hair blowing around her face. As he saw the startled look on her face, a memory of a sentence came back to him, a sentence that was so unfamiliar that he stiffened in shock. _You can't love me, because I'm nothing but a lust doll..._

_What is a lust doll? _He couldn't seem to remember what that meant - but he had heard that phrase before somewhere. Lust doll. For some reason, Miku reminded him of that phrase...narrowing his eyes, he pushed the phrase away. It wasn't important for now. Now, the only thing which mattered to him was summoning up enough courage to actually try and talk to the perfect tealette.

Typical of him. He could beat up people that were more than twice his weight. He had gotten the first prize in most of the major martial art competitions, for the past five years in a row. But when it came to talking to a girl, he just froze up and had completely no idea what to say. One day, he was going to have to ask Rin about what girls liked to talk about. But until then, he would try and figure it out himself.

She waited for him as he walked over to her - he noticed with satisfaction that they were heading in the same direction. ''Where do you live?'' he asked when he reached her, curious. She blinked at him, looking faintly startled, then she told him. He drew back, feeling a little surprised - it wasn't too far away from where he himself lived. He hadn't known that Miku lived so close to him. They were neighbours.

When he mentioned that, Miku's eyes brightened, and she gave him a radiant smile. ''I didn't know,'' she said simply, adjusting the strap of her bag so that it rested more comfortably on her shoulder. ''Well...I suppose that's good,'' she added rather absent-mindedly. ''In case we ever have any projects to work on during Science or something. Then it'll be convenient for us to meet up and discuss.''

He shrugged, though he hadn't thought of that - he just wondered whether it would be possible that Miku would ever invite him over to her house. Not for sex, like how so many other boys hoped for. He was just curious about what kind of place she lived in. He knew he was getting far too ahead of himself, though. After all, why would she ever consider asking him over? The two of them barely even knew each other.

''Oh, I'd like to thank you again for helping me with Akaito, just now,'' Miku turned to face him, her large green eyes meeting his. He blinked, startled by her words - he hadn't been focusing on his surroundings, lost as he was in his own thoughts. His lips curved up into a smile without him even thinking about it...even his own body reacted to her words, and he didn't have to pay attention to recognise the sound of her voice.

''It's fine,'' he answered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. Shyly, he glanced up at her - she was still staring at him. Instinctively, he looked away. ''Just...don't get involved with people like him anymore,'' he said lamely, not knowing what else he ought to say. ''I mean, even if you want to make them realise their wrongs, you shouldn't have to...do these kind of things,'' he looked down at the pavement.

He was painfully aware of her gaze upon him. The intensity with which she was staring at him...he was so aware of her gaze that he almost couldn't breathe. Unconsciously, his fingers curled up into fists in his pockets, and he exhaled, hoping that he would be able to calm his hyped up nerves. Somehow. Maybe this was some form of curse, his feelings for her - this hypersensitivity towards her every move...

''You're concerned for me?'' faint disbelief laced her sweet voice, and he glanced up at her, not quite daring to look her in the eyes. All he could see of her were her lips as they moved. ''I...'' her voice trailed off. ''Thank you for that,'' she murmured softly. ''It's sweet that you actually care for what's happening to me,'' she smiled, and he shrugged, not quite knowing how he was supposed to react to her words.

To be honest, he was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable talking to her. Constantly having no idea what to say around Miku was making him feel rather awkward, and all he wanted to do was to hide himself somewhere so that he didn't have to keep on watching his words and avoid embarrassing himself. The mystery of the opposite sex and the way their minds worked - both things that he would never understand.

Miku was feeling rather amused by the blond boy walking next to her. She noticed that he refused to meet her gaze, and that every time he said anything to her he kept his eyes firmly fixed to the ground. It was almost as though he didn't dare to face her, and the embarrassment she could feel rolling off him in waves was actually rather adorable. It had been a long time since a boy had felt...shy, around her.

Even those boys who were usually reserved and quiet weren't shy when they tried to flirt with her. They all knew exactly what they wanted, and when they tried to get her to agree to sleep with them, they never portrayed any of the shy quietness that they were typically known for. This boy, Len Kagamine, was different. He kept his embarrassed demeanour around her, and she found that rather refreshing.

She couldn't resist the urge to tease him - it had just been so long since she had last talked to someone without them making an attempt to get her into bed with them. And Len's cheeks were already flushed - it would be an easy enough matter to get him even more flustered. ''Do you think that I'm pretty?'' she twirled a lock of her teal hair around her finger, turning around to face the blond boy. He spluttered.

''Um...yes?'' his answer sounded more like a question. She sighed, making his eyes flick up to meet hers. He looked confused, his bright blue eyes filled with uncertainty. The pink tint of his cheeks deepened slightly as he met her gaze, and hastily he glanced away from her once more. ''I think you're very pretty,'' he continued, his voice so soft that she almost couldn't hear what he had just said. She blinked, startled.

''Thank you,'' she beamed at him, and he nodded in assent. His blond hair was tied into a short ponytail, as always - she was gripped by a strange urge to just reach out and tug on that little ponytail. She wondered idly what he would look like with his hair let down - would he remind her all the more of her past beloved, then? Realising what she was thinking, she pushed the errant thought away.

She was rather intrigued by Len Kagamine. She hadn't expected him to come to her rescue, earlier, while Akaito Shion had been arguing with her. Of course, she would have found a way out of that mess eventually - Luka would have helped her out of that, somehow. The Goddess of Love would never allow her precious lust doll to be sullied by any man...not without her own express consent, of course.

But that he had even bothered to come and save what had appeared to be a damsel in distress startled her. It wasn't the first time she had run into situations such as this, when a man wanted to force her into staying with him. Usually, passer-bys just ducked their heads and hurried on away from there, avoiding the unfolding scene. No one had ever extended a hand to try and help her before. No one really cared.

Len cared, though. He had cared enough that he had barged right into the room and beat Akaito senseless. Most people in their school tended to avoid Akaito Shion in these kind of situations - the redhead was popular and vicious, and no one wanted to risk getting on his bad side. It wouldn't do their social lives or their own reputations any good. Len, however, hadn't cared for any of that. He had helped her.

She cast the blond boy a curious look - he was still walking next to her, his shoulders stiff. He reminded her of someone, someone important to her...but was he really all that like the person she was trying to recall? Her memories were hazy and cluttered, and she couldn't seem to remember anything. She didn't know whether it was because she had buried her memories too deeply, or whether it was something else.

Was it because she herself had erected a barrier so she could keep her memories locked away? A barrier which had weakened enough to let some recollections slip through, but still too strong for her to break her way past it and remember everything? Honestly, she could not say whether she truly wanted to remember her distant past or not - all she knew was that she was tired of being so unsure of herself.

She had asked herself before whether she ought to get closer to Len, or whether she should try her hardest to avoid him. And now, she thought she knew the answer. She couldn't deny that seeing him made her wince a little - the unexplainable familiarity she saw in him...but at the same time, there was just something about this boy which intrigued her, and that strange something wouldn't let go of her.

She opened her mouth to speak, at the same time Len unexpectedly turned around to face her. Both of them blinked at each other, startled, and then Len hastily glanced away from her once again. Her eyes settled on his hands - he was twisting a silver ring around the index finger of his right hand. From agitation, perhaps? ''Um, you should speak first,'' he muttered, his voice barely audible.

She held back a quiet laugh - he seemed to be talking to the pavement, rather than to her. ''I was wondering whether you'd like to come over to my house one of these days,'' she said honestly, ignoring the subtle widening of his blue eyes. ''I mean...since we're friends, and we're neighbours and all,'' she shrugged casually, trying not to make herself seem too eager. Eagerness could...put people off.

''Really?'' he asked, sounding surprised. His eyes slid over to meet hers, and instead of him looking away as she was accustomed to, this time he held her gaze. Now that she could actually look into his eyes, she noticed that he had very nice eyes...they were an intense, striking blue, almost electric, and they held her gaze with a quiet intensity that made her frown in vague recognition. Those eyes...

''Do I look like I'm lying?'' she asked, teasing him again. A faint blush coloured his cheeks, and mutely he shook his head. He was endearingly shy, this boy who happened to be her Science partner, and she wondered why that was so. When he had been facing off Akaito earlier, he had seemed so full of confidence - yet, the very moment he had to talk to her, all that self-confidence seemed to drain away.

She was rather curious about the two sides she could see to this boy. That shyness and that confidence...it was like two different halves of him. The dual personalities that she had glimpsed in him were so different from each other, it almost seemed as though two people resided in that body. The shy boy, and the self-confident aggressor - but more likely it was just that he had...issues with talking to girls.

''Um, sure, I don't mind,'' he mumbled, looping his fingers through the shoulder strap of his bag. He didn't say anything else though, and curiously Miku glanced up at him. He didn't seem to be much of a conversationalist - she could tell that it wouldn't be easy for her to draw him into an extended talk. Sighing, she decided that the first thing she was going to have to do was to get rid of that shyness.

She had to get him to talk, in order to see if he could trigger any more of her past memories. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought - if, on the chance that he so happened to be her long dead beloved, then surely he would remember something from his past. Wouldn't he? If they kept talking about past lives and such, he might remember something. Perhaps about the person he had once been?

''What were you going to ask me?'' she piped up, recalling that he had been about to say something to her as well. He stiffened, his shoulders becoming rigid, and then he turned around to face her. His striking cerulean eyes searched hers, and she was once again overwhelmed by just how vaguely familiar he was to her. He swallowed, looking nervous.

''Um...well...I was going to ask you whether you would like to, um...be my girlfriend?''


	9. Chapter 9

_**Solitaryloner: **Well, the reason why I haven't updated in so long is because I was on hiatus...I was studying for my exams, which are coming really soon. But since so many people want me to update this, then I'll update._

_Usually I have all the chapters planned out and stuff, but at which moment I post them up will vary, because it depends on whether I'm in an area with internet access or not. So please bear with me. I'll try to update more often._

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Len wanted to swallow his words back. Except that he knew that he couldn't retract what he had just said. He was such an _idiot. _A complete, utter idiot. Why had he just said that? What was the likelihood that she would say yes?

A tiny part of him clung on to the minute possibility that she would agree. That was the part of him which refused to step out of his fantasies and dreams, and it was also that small part of him which had caused him to speak out. He hadn't even realised that the words were passing through his lips, until he had finished saying his part.

Miku was staring at him, a look of surprise on her lovely face. Len mentally groaned. _She's going to say no. I'm sure of it. Why would she ever agree to go out with me, after all? I'm a nobody, whereas...she has everything. _He waited for Miku to turn him down - he hoped that she would do so in a nice way. She was nice, wasn't she? So she shouldn't be too mean about rejecting him...hopefully.

If only his big mouth hadn't opened and started speaking, of its own accord. When he had asked her to be his girlfriend, he had felt this strangest sense of limbo - as though his mouth had been disconnected from his brain. And his mouth had shot off of its own accord. The extremely recent memory of it made him wince - he was never going to live this down.

''Okay,'' he finally heard her say. Len sighed, already knowing that this was going to happen. He opened his mouth, ready to tell her that he was perfectly fine about her turning him down, and that he hoped that they would still be able to remain as friends and that hopefully, nothing would be too awkward between the both of them - and then her answer registered.

His eyes widened. ''Okay?'' he echoed tremulously, wondering if he had somehow managed to mishear her. She smiled briefly at him, the small smile turning her from pretty to truly beautiful, and then she nodded. Len blinked at her, feeling rather stunned. She had said okay? Didn't that mean...that she had just agreed to be his girlfriend? Miku Hatsune?

Maybe this was all just a dream. He was dreaming, wasn't he? ''I'm dreaming, aren't I?'' he wondered out loud. ''Or maybe I'm hallucinating,'' he added. Deciding to shake himself out of this realistic fantasy, he pinched his arm, then hissed in pain. That stung. And no, he was still here. So...it wasn't a dream, then. She really had just agreed to go out with him.

Miku watched his confusion, her lively green eyes dancing with mirth. ''You're cute,'' she laughed, covering her mouth daintily with her hand. At her comment, Len felt the faint blush on his face deepen, and hastily he glanced away, hoping that she wouldn't see the way that his cheeks had warmed. She was just so pretty, whenever she laughed like that...

''Why did you agree to go out with me?'' Len asked softly, not quite daring to speak up and hear her reason. What if it was something stupid? What if...what if she had been dared to do something like this? What if she had been dared to go out with some loser, and end up dumping him and breaking his heart? Or something? He bit his lip, feeling nervous.

An unimportant part of his mind noted that he had been watching too many drama serials lately, what with the clichéd dare-and-dump story line. But honestly, what if that had really happened? He didn't think he would be able to handle the blow. He really did like her. A lot. But the fact that she had agreed to date him...well, it just seemed way too good to be true.

''I like you,'' she said calmly, apparently not noticing the internal struggle that he was going through right then. ''You're nice. You're smart, and you're really adorable,'' she flashed him a sweet smile. ''And you helped me when most people would have just avoided my issue,'' she added. ''About Akaito?'' she tilted her head, at the uncomprehending look on his face.

Oh. ''Well...'' he muttered, lacing his fingers behind his back. His blond fringe fell into his eyes, as he looked down at the pavement, and irritably he blew the thick strands away. ''So are you going out with me only because I helped you with Akaito, earlier?'' he finally blurted out, desperately trying to avoid her searching gaze. At the same time, he was berating himself.

_Idiot, idiot, idiot. Why are you questioning her so much? She likes you. She just said that she likes you. Who cares about anything else? She wants to go out with you! Stop being an idiot and asking her so many questions already, dammit. _Yes, the voice in his head was making a whole lot of sense. For once. He wondered if that meant he was slowly going insane.

It wasn't normal for people to hear voices in their head, was it? He knew that most people _did _hear a voice in their minds, whenever they were thinking - their thinking voice. It was the same little voice which people could hear, whenever they were reading something. But the voice in Len's head wasn't that voice. It was something..._someone, _completely different.

This voice was a separate entity from him, and he knew that because this voice...it sounded different from his thinking voice. They were similar, but different - this separate voice was lower. Huskier. It wasn't his voice, that he could be sure. The only questions were, who was this voice? It probably had some kind of identity. Why was this voice in his head?

And why was it that this voice seemed to want Miku as much as Len himself did? Len swallowed at the thought - not so much because of the possibility that he might be going insane, but rather because he feared that he might have a competitor. Which just further confirmed his rapid descent into insanity. What kind of person would fear competition from a lone voice in his head? Clearly, he was going mad.

Miku didn't seem particularly offended by his thoughtless question. On the contrary, she shot him an amused smile. ''You seem...very paranoid, Len,'' she commented, making him flush even more than he already was. ''No, I didn't agree to be your girlfriend just because you saved me from Akaito. There are other reasons...'' her eyes flicked up to meet his. ''Do you want to know them?'' she asked sweetly.

He was actually rather sure that she had already told him the reasons before. But just so that he could hear her speak again, he shrugged, indicating that he wanted her to continue. Her lips tilted up briefly, almost imperceptibly, which made him wonder whether she knew that he had just wanted to hear her voice. He hoped she didn't know.

Because that would just make him seem weird. ''Well, you're really nice and sweet,'' she glanced up at him from underneath her long eyelashes, and the endearing sight made his heartbeat speed up. ''And you're smart. And pretty protective, too,'' she added, her smile widening. ''I've noticed you even before you spoke to me, you know...'' the last words came out as barely more than a whisper.

Len froze at those words. ''What?'' he asked, weakly. She glanced up at him, then quickly she shook her head, glancing away once more. He wondered why she had not replied, but before he could ask, they had stopped before a large, ostentatious mansion. Len thought that he noticed a look of distaste flicker across Miku's face, as the both of them stared at the mansion. She looked around, back at him, then sighed.

''This is my house,'' she said bluntly. There was a coolness in her eyes that he had never really seen before. ''Do you...want to come in?'' she asked, the words sounding forced. He flinched, then shook his head. She sounded as though it was some kind of obligation, to invite him into her house. If she didn't want him inside her mansion, then...he wouldn't impose on her.

''It's getting late, and I should really go home,'' he murmured in explanation, noticing the startled look on her face. ''Maybe...next time?'' he asked hesitantly. ''If you want,'' he added quickly, not wanting her to think that he was being too forward, or anything of that sort. She stared at him for a while, making him feel rather uncomfortable, before she nodded.

''I won't force you, then,'' she leant closer to him, so close that he could feel her cool breath wash against his skin, as she looked up at him. Before he knew what was happening, she had reached up, brushing her lips lightly against his cheek. Len froze, startled by the kiss, and Miku retreated from him, her eyes watching him all the while. Dazedly, he let his fingers drift towards the spot she had kissed.

''Um, goodbye,'' he managed to choke out, before turning around and getting the hell out of there. The other voice in his head was berating him once more - _why did you just run away from her? Now she's going to think that you hate her, or something like that _- but Len ignored the voice, instead hurrying down the street to his own house. Luckily, he didn't live too far away from where Miku did.

_She kissed me. She just kissed me. _It had been the second time today, and again he couldn't help but wonder...if this was all a sweet dream, and he would wake up to realise that none of this had just happened. He really hoped that this wasn't the case. But even if it was, then this was the most realistic dream he had ever come up with, and he hoped that he would never forget it. This fantasy that he had created.

What were the odds of all these happening? When he had woken up and gone to school this morning, he would never have imagined that Miku would be his girlfriend, by the end of the day. Which just went to show that miracles were always happening, even to unimportant, ordinary people such as him. A smile came to his lips as he thought about it - Miku Hatsune. Being his girlfriend. Who would've thought...

He turned back to look at her house. Miku had already disappeared inside the mansion, and Len wondered why she had seemed as though...she didn't like the mansion. If it was her home, then why didn't she like it? He hadn't missed the look of distaste that had crossed her face, at the sight of the mansion. Didn't she like her home? Then again, perhaps he had just been reading too much into her expression...

_Miku..._the voice was filled with longing, a longing that was separate from his. Len scowled a little as the voice ran around his mind - he didn't like it much. It made him feel as though he had a competitor, even though the voice was not corporeal. Sooner or later, hearing this voice in his head was going to drive him insane. If he wasn't already so. _Nothing but a lust doll..._he gritted his teeth.

God. This was bothersome. He tried to shut the voice out, glaring down at the pavement beneath him. He needed to distract himself. It was either that, or let the voice run around and around his head, driving him insane.

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Miku let herself into her room, throwing her bag to one side. Tiredly, she let herself flop down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she let the day's events unfold, in her mind.

Why had she agreed to be Len Kagamine's girlfriend? She herself didn't know. She had never once...had been someone's girlfriend. Sex partner, definitely. But girlfriend? That was different. The word girlfriend implied...a certain degree of faithfulness. Love. Affection. All of which were things that she was unable to provide. Faithfulness? No, she couldn't give Len that. Judging from his character...

She had to bed someone, at the very least once a week. And Len...he didn't seem to be the type of boy who would want to have sex with her, just because she offered it. She could see it in his eyes, when she had invited him inside her house earlier - unlike other boys, his eyes hadn't sparked with hunger, with the knowledge that he might possibly get some free sex later. No, he hadn't considered that.

He was...innocent. That was the only word she could think of, to describe him. Innocent. And when she had invited him in, she could tell that he hadn't thought of it as anything more than a mere invite, to come in and look around. More than likely, he was the kind of person who believed in true love, in destiny and fate...believed that love was far better than animal lust. This kind of person was rather rare.

But then, it wouldn't be good for their relationship. She couldn't avoid her sex rule, the condition that her mistress had laid down for her. Since she doubted that Len would want to bed her, then she would have to seek her fix elsewhere. And that already completely shattered the 'faithful' part of their relationship. It was a part that had been destroyed even before the relationship had been formed.

She shouldn't have agreed to be his girlfriend, not when she knew that she wouldn't be able to be faithful to him. Or to love him, because after all, a mere lust doll was incapable of love. But when she had opened her mouth to reject him, the desperate hope she had seen, shining in his eyes...it had changed her mind, at the last possible moment. She had given in, and she had agreed to something she would regret.

It was just that...no one had really asked her to be their girlfriend before. To have sex with them, sure. But to enter an actual, steady relationship? No. That had never happened before. Nobody cared about her that way, after all...no one save for Len, that seemed. Len Kagamine seemed to care a great deal for her, not that she would ever understand why.

He was so familiar, and the more she talked to him, the more she felt as though...she knew him, somehow. But why? How? Both of which were questions that she was unable to answer. She hoped that she wouldn't end up breaking his heart, intentionally or not. He didn't deserve to be upset by the likes of her. She wasn't worth any human being upset over, not when the human was...kind. When he wasn't lustful.

The memory of his reaction, when she had agreed, and when she had kissed his cheek, brought a smile to her lips. He was so adorable. She couldn't help but keep thinking of that, the way his cheeks turned pink the moment he looked at her. He was just so shy...it was endearingly sweet. She had always liked the shy boys. They were usually gentle. Sweet and kind. That was hard for her to find.

Len Kagamine. She mused for a while about the sound of his name - Kagamine was just so familiar to her, though she still couldn't link it to anything solid. Sighing, she rolled over in her bed, wondering whether she would have another dream of her past love, tonight. Talking to Len seemed to trigger more memories...but it wasn't enough for her to truly recall who he was. How were those two related?

She didn't know, and to be honest, she wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to know. Stretching, she felt her joints pop satisfyingly, then she leant her cheek against the pillow, intending to go to sleep. It had been a long day, full of plenty of surprises, and she was feeling rather tired by it all. Now, the only thing she wanted to do was to sink into her soft bed, and sleep all of her troubles and worries away.

In that dazed moment, between sleep and waking, an image flickered behind her closed eyelids. It wasn't the image of her past love, though, as she was used to. In fact, the new image was so different that it almost jolted her awake - it was just so...unexpected. But tiredness overcame surprise, and without resistance, she sank further into a deep sleep.

This time, the person that she saw right before she really fell asleep was...Len Kagamine.


	10. Chapter 10

Luka Megurine, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, was in an uncharacteristic hurry. Brushing aside all the gods and goddesses who greeted her, Luka rushed all the way to her room, locking the door which led to her chambers - and at the same time, she weaved a simple spell, ensuring that none of the gods would be able to enter her room, even while using magical means.

Then, she went to the far corner of her beautifully decorated room. For once, she didn't stop to regard the intricately carved bed, or the ornate, gilded crystal sculptures and flowers that adorned her room - instead, she brushed that all aside, instead focusing on the corner of her room that she usually avoided as much as possible. Lightly, she brushed her fingers against the warm wall, breathing against it.

The wall seemed to cave in on itself, as the protective charm placed on it recognised her touch. A small opening appeared in the wooden wall, and Luka stepped gracefully through it, waving her hand to close the opening behind her. This little chamber was a secret of hers, and it was privy to no one other than herself. Not even to her son, the God of Lust and Love, or to her occasional lover, the God of War.

Inside, the shimmering figure of a man, bound to the wall with heavy silver chains, glanced up as he heard the sound of the wall closing. The look of utter contempt that he wore, upon glimpsing her, made her feel more than a little offended - she was Luka Megurine, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. How could this man possibly look at her with so much hate in his gaze? He ought to be worshipping her, instead.

''It's you again,'' his voice was loaded with harsh venom. ''What are you here for, this time? More sex?'' he let out a bitter laugh. ''You'd think that the great goddess Luka, Beauty and Lust herself, wouldn't bother to spend so much time on a mere mortal like me. Especially when I'm nothing more than a shade. Don't you find everything that you're doing a little foolish, goddess?'' his blue eyes narrowed at her.

''Shut up,'' she hissed, striding over to him. She let her own light blue eyes travel across his body - he was dressed in a simple white robe, which fell open at the neck to show hints of a lean, toned chest. His blond hair fell into his eyes, as silky and bright as she remembered - his bright golden hair had been the first thing she had ever noticed about him. ''Whether or not this is foolish is not for you to judge.''

''I certainly think that I'm allowed to _judge, _especially since I'm the one stuck here,'' his tone was scathing. ''It's been centuries since I died. Since you prevented me from going into the Afterlife. Perhaps one day, you'll finally stop your cruelty, and allow me to move on. This is pointless, you know - I've told you before that I would never love you. And nothing you can do to me will ever make me think otherwise.''

Luka let her fingers run slowly against his cheek, and he flinched away from her touch. Luka bit her lip at the sight of his withdrawal, her long fingers slowly clenching into fists. ''Then why can't you love me?'' she whispered, watching his cerulean gaze flick away from her. It wasn't so much that she desired his love - it was just that, up till this day, she still didn't understand how any man could spurn her.

She was used to men loving her. She was beautiful, and she never bothered trying to hide that fact - whenever she appeared to the men who had managed to capture her attention, they were all awed by her perfection, and not a single man had ever turned her away before. None of them...except for this one. He had been warm and vibrant, kind and loving - but he had not desired her. It had been so strange.

She had appeared to him, offering him a night in her bed - and he had turned her down. He had just gotten married at that time, but then again, other men she had appeared to had been married too, and they hadn't denied themselves a chance with the desired Goddess of Love. She had found that offensive, and after that, she had started scheming. Trying to think of a good way to make him regret his foolish rejection.

All mortals knew one thing - whenever a god appeared to them, they were supposed to accept whatever deal it was that the god had offered. To not do so was to anger the god, for mortals were all lowly creatures, and they had absolutely no right to turn down something from the very gods themselves. Luka couldn't feel apologetic about what she had done, at that time...it was his own fault for being reckless.

Whenever the gods were angered, the mortal who had offended them, and all of the mortals' close relatives and friends, would suffer in one way or another. Luka had caused his wife to die from disease, not too long after their marriage - she wondered whether he had suspected her of doing that, or whether, in his grief, he had actually believed that his wife had died of natural causes. Not that Luka actually cared.

But she could never have foreseen the chain of events which unfolded after all that...events which had forced her to cut his lifeline, before his time was up. She couldn't have allowed everything to continue, on their given paths - it went against everything she had set herself up for. The Three Fates were bitches, everyone knew that, but even she hadn't expected those three to be quite so...malicious. Not this time.

True, she knew that the three bitches had it in for her, but she hadn't expected them to muck up her plans so much. She gnawed on her lip, a demeaning habit that she had whenever she was nervous - even now, echoes from the past might still stir the future, and even she, an all knowing goddess, had no idea what the Three Fates had set in action. It had been several millennia since she had killed him, but still...

''Why I can't love you?'' he echoed, his blond hair shadowing his eyes as he glanced up at her. His blue eyes were filled with incredulity - but even so, he was still the most beautiful mortal man she had ever come across. ''How could I possibly love you?'' he laughed, a short, harsh bark. ''You are a beautiful goddess, Luka. But even if you're Love, you can't _force _love...something which you have drilled into me, all these centuries.''

''That is not an answer,'' she said quietly, watching him for his reaction. ''You know exactly what I'm asking you. Why can you not love me? What was it that made you turn me away, the moment you laid eyes upon me? Why were you not tempted, like the rest? You know...your rejection was the thing which had started everything. If you hadn't turned me down then...nothing would have changed.''

''I was in love with my wife, then,'' came the simple answer. A slow smile spread across his face - a smile that he rarely wore, while he was in her presence. ''And even after her death...well, how could I love you? When the person I had loved more than anything else had died? At least, I thought I had loved her that much...'' he hesitated. ''Until _she _came along,'' his blue eyes flicked away from her. ''Things changed then.''

''She was not meant for you,'' Luka snapped, feeling bitter. ''She's _mine. _Not yours. She will never be yours - so long as breath remains in my body, you will never be able to touch her,'' she whipped away from him, feeling his blue eyes searing into her back. She tried to ignore him - for a mortal, he had an extremely penetrating gaze. ''Do you have any idea whether or not you're...back?'' she asked him.

She heard the chains rattle, as he made an attempt to shrug. She tried to hide a wince - she didn't like having to chain him up like that, but if she didn't, he would run away from her. And she couldn't possibly allow that to happen. ''How would I know?'' the previous emotion in his voice had flattened, leaving his tone dead once again. ''It's not like I'm connected to my soul anymore. I'm just a shade, trapped in here.''

''She's still alive, you know,'' Luka said, turning a little to study his reaction. He stiffened visibly at her words - the sudden look of _yearning _which flooded his eyes then...she just couldn't seem to breathe. Foolish mortal, allowing his emotions to spell out so obviously, in his expression. ''But she'll never think to look for you. I won't let her anywhere near you. You can continue to torture yourself with what you can never possess.''

''I'd rather be tortured that way, than to have no heart...like you obviously do,'' he retorted, and she resisted the urge to lean over and slap him, for that comment. Once again, her fingers clenched into fists, as she struggled to clamp down on her boiling emotions - there was no point in letting him see how badly his words had affected her. No heart? How could she have no heart? She was the Goddess of Love.

''Watch your words,'' she said emptily. ''You might be dead, but there are still plenty of ways to make you suffer, and don't you ever dare to forget that,'' she noticed, with satisfaction, the way he paled, his lips pressing together tightly as he took in her warning. ''Besides,'' she added, as an afterthought, ''if you're a good boy, then I might even let you have a glimpse of her. To satisfy the pain you hold, within yourself.''

The look of venom he shot her then was so strong, she almost keeled over under its weight. But the tone of his voice didn't match his eyes at all - his voice was soft and...wistful, almost. ''Is she okay?'' he asked, his slender fingers flexing as he shifted a little in his heavy chains. ''She...she's so fragile,'' he mumbled, almost to himself. ''I'm sure you would know that. What if she gets herself hurt? I worry...''

''Her state is not any of your business,'' Luka reminded him harshly. ''I care for her, more than you do, I suspect. I don't think there is any need for you to remind me of how delicate her constitution is. She's my responsibility, and even if the Fates have decreed otherwise, I will not let you interfere in my affairs with her,'' Luka folded her arms across her chest. ''You weren't supposed to fall for her...'' she muttered.

''The Fates are bitches,'' he laughed, an almost desperate laugh. ''Doesn't the whole world know that? All they enjoy is making other people suffer. But then, you had to go against them. You had to relegate me to this hell, to this eternity of never-ending pain and suffering. Why couldn't you have just left me be, Luka? Let me be happy. If you hadn't appeared to me...you can only blame yourself for all this, Goddess.''

''You had a part to play as well,'' she snapped back at him, abruptly cutting his laughter off. ''You knew what was going on - you shouldn't have embroiled yourself in the matters of the gods. If you had kept to your own mortal business, and had not chosen to meddle in events beyond your understanding...well, none of this would've happened, either. You can only blame yourself for your own ill fortune.''

''You can't force love to stop itself,'' came the whispered reply. ''And you should know that, since you're supposed to be the Goddess of Love. Luka Megurine. Perhaps you ought to revisit the basis of your powers - I simply did what love commanded me to do. And I'm still doing that, because I still love her. She's precious to me. I promised...I would never hurt or abandon her. And I broke that promise.''

If he was trying to make her feel guilty, well, it was working. Just a little. Luka pressed her lips together as she scowled, trying to push the sense of guilt away - no god would have done anything else, if they had been in her position. She was a goddess, and gods did not answer to mortals. Ever. The one thing that gods thought the most about was vengeance and revenge. She was only doing what she always had.

''I don't care about whether you love her or not,'' she said emptily, flipping some of her long pink hair over her shoulder. As she spoke, she turned, meeting his vivid blue eyes. They were narrowed at her, and it was obvious that he was displeased. ''All I know is, you've offended me. You've done things that fall outside of your mortal station. And you are extremely annoying. Be thankful that this is your only punishment.''

''I'd rather be tortured and flogged, down in the Underworld,'' came the mutinous reply. She had been expecting that answer, and she brushed it aside - she knew why he thought that way, and secretly, she smirked as she thought of what was to come. He hated that she did this to him - but she couldn't say the same thing for herself. After all, he was very...skilled. ''Why are you eyeing me like that?'' he now demanded.

She approached him, letting her fingers splay out against the bare skin of his chest. He flinched again, clearly uncomfortable with her touch, as she let her fingernails scratch lightly at his skin. ''For a mortal, you're dreadfully bold,'' she said huskily, her fingers moving up to slide against his cheek. He tilted his head, away from her hand. ''And I most certainly do find you extremely...amusing,'' she licked her lips.

He rolled his eyes. ''If you'd wanted sex, you should've just said so, right from the start,'' he muttered, his voice low and frustrated. He hated this game, and she loved it - making him suffer was one thing that she enjoyed doing. If it hadn't been for him...none of this would've happened. And the Three Fates wouldn't have had a chance to mess with her. Again. That was something she was always reminding him of.

If only he had accepted her straight from the start...then her thirst for vengeance wouldn't have led to all of this taking place. True, she was to blame for what had happened - but then, he wasn't exactly innocent, either. She snapped her fingers, and the silver chains released him, dropping him onto the ground. Slowly, he picked himself up, faintly unsteady, before he glared at her. She shivered at that cold look of hatred.

''Please me,'' she whispered, watching him approach her warily, as though she was a feral animal. ''And if you make me happy enough, then I might even let you have a small glimpse of what you desire the most...after all, I always reward people for a job well done. Don't I?'' she smirked, feeling him run a finger lightly down her upper arm. There was an audible sigh of resignation, before he inclined his head.

''As you wish,'' he drawled, his smooth voice full of spite. There was a brief pause. ''My Lady.''


	11. Chapter 11

_**Solitaryloner: **Okay. So I haven't updated this, or Pleasure Slave, in ages. I'll get right to it. Soon. I've gotten a sudden motivation boost for this story, so maybe I'll update more often now. Hopefully. Inspiration running dry here._

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''Miku!'' Miku quickly spun around, her fingers tightening unconsciously around the strap of her black bag. Then she relaxed as she saw who the caller was - Len Kagamine was there, walking towards her, his cheeks a faint pink. As usual.

''Len,'' she smiled at him, her mind immediately flashing back to last night...yes, her unknown lover had featured in her dreams again, but she still couldn't seem to recall his name. Nothing but the name of Kagamine...as well as the fact that he had blond hair. And blue eyes, much like Len...it was getting harder and harder for her to deny the apparent resemblance between Len and her dead beloved. It confused her.

Even if she couldn't truly recall what her lover had looked like, Len sparked a faint sense of recognition within her...something in her told her that he ought to be familiar to her. That she knew who he really was. She didn't actually like the sense of faint familiarity that she could feel with the blond boy...it unnerved her, made her feel uncertain of herself. Uncertainty was one emotion she had not felt in a long time.

''Um...'' he reached her side, his slanted blue eyes flicking away from her as she stared at him inquisitively. ''How...how are you today?'' he managed to stutter out, his voice halting and unsure. Miku had to hide a small smile, at the sight of his shyness - it was as though he wasn't very certain of what to say to her. Like he didn't have very much experience in dealing with the opposite sex. It was all rather endearing.

''I'm fine,'' she told him, adjusting her bag so that the strap rested more comfortably upon her shoulder. ''So. I guess...since we're in a relationship now,'' she paused as she noticed his cheeks redden further, ''we should try and...find out more about each other?'' she asked him slowly, wondering if she would be able to nudge their discussion in the direction of his possible forgotten memories and past lives.

She couldn't help thinking that Len was linked to her past beloved, in one way or another. But what was the relationship between them? After all, Len had most certainly not existed in her past...she was very sure of that. Len glanced up at her from beneath his long eyelashes, his blond fringe falling into his gaze. ''Well...what do you want to know about me?'' he said slowly. Carefully. Like he was feeling embarrassed.

Len really was feeling rather...shy, at this moment. He was still unused to talking to Miku Hatsune this way - as though they were friends, acquaintances...and not mere schoolmates. In the past, she was the goddess of their school, and he was no more than a distant admirer, someone who wished he could talk to her, but knew that he would never be able to do such a thing. Now, the situation was...different.

She was looking away from him, and he thought that she was thinking of something to ask him. He wondered what she would say - it was still so strange, talking to a girl he had long thought of as unattainable. The fact that she was now his _girlfriend..._even after a restless night of being unable to sleep, he was still quite dazed about that. It was as if this was all a wonderful hallucination, a fantasy he had conjured up.

''The usual things, I suppose,'' her lips curled up into a smile. How he adored the sight of that smile, the way her full lips made his insides melt. _Focus, Len. _''What you like. What you dislike. Things such as those,'' she shrugged elegantly, her green eyes flicking away from him. ''Oh, and...when did you learn how to fight? You're really good at that,'' she added, her gaze snapping back to meet his. He swallowed.

''I like bananas. I dislike...I don't know,'' he said honestly. _I like you. I like you a lot. I dislike seeing other guys flirting with you, touching you, trying to claim you as theirs. I don't like watching you flirting back with them, as if you don't care that you're precious to me. _''As for when I learnt how to fight...I can barely even remember. When I was five, I think. The idea of self-defence attracted me, even then.''

She arched an eyebrow at that answer. ''Self-defence?'' she asked, sounding intrigued. He nodded slowly, staring back at her. There was a quizzical look in her eyes as she stared at him, her pale fingers wrapped tightly around the strap of her black bag. Her long teal hair waved gently in the breeze as they walked, and it made her look truly exquisite. Like a dream come to life, perhaps. The rays of the morning sun caressed her face, illuminating her.

Such a beautiful girl. Even the elements had trouble resisting her. He shook his head, trying to rid the uncharacteristic thoughts from his mind - it was not in his nature to wax poetic about how lovely she was. Even if she was. He wondered if it was the other presence in his mind, singing praises of her. He couldn't help feeling jealous of the possibility of that, though he knew better than to encourage a rivalry between himself and his own consciousness.

''Well...when I was five, I saw some other kids bullying a cat,'' he shrugged. ''I felt sorry for the poor creature, so I went to save it. The other kids beat me up,'' he said blandly, trying not to notice the way her eyes widened. ''So after that, I told my mother I wanted to learn how to fight. She sent me for my first ever karate class...and that's it,'' he sighed, idly running his fingers through his blond hair. ''The story of my life.''

He felt slim fingers resting lightly on his arm, and his head whipped around, him staring at her in surprise as Miku regarded him quietly. ''That was brave of you,'' her voice was soft, and at her words he felt his face heating up once more. Dammit, he had to stop blushing around her all the time. ''Weren't you scared that time, that they would do something to harm you?'' she asked him, her gaze filled with...concern?

''I was five,'' he reminded her. ''Five-year-old kids tend to be oblivious to danger,'' he laughed quietly, remembering how idiotic he used to be. Then, he was a little boy, going up against a group of other boys who were three years older than him. Of course, they hadn't liked being told off by a mere five year old brat, and they had stayed around for long enough to ensure that he would regret interfering in their business.

After that, he had managed to stagger home, and his mother was horrified by what had been done to her son. Len told her what happened, and she...well, Len preferred not to think about his mother's reaction to his words. Anyway, when he requested that he be allowed to go for self-defence lessons, she had willingly paid for him to 'learn how to beat bullies up', as she so eloquently put it. Len smiled at the memory.

''Well,'' Miku paused. ''That's...courageous,'' her smile returned, and he glanced away from her, unable to meet her intense gaze. She didn't say anything else, but he felt her fingers disappear from his arm, and he flinched - he didn't want her to stop touching him. He liked her touch. It was gentle and soft, and Len didn't want her to ever stop touching him. He didn't say that aloud though. That wish seemed a little...weird.

Just then, the shrill sound of a phone ringing pierced the air. Len blinked, staring at Miku - the tealette shook her head, then reached into her skirt pocket, drawing a phone out. She gave him an apologetic shrug, then swiped a finger across the screen, pressing the thing against her ear. ''Hello?'' she listened, her eyes flicking down to the ground. Unable to help himself, Len stared at her, wondering who was the caller.

''Miku, darling,'' came Luka's voice, crackling into her ear. Miku sighed, knowing what was about to come. Luka only ever called her for one thing - generally, the goddess preferred to pop out of nowhere, generally shocking everyone else who happened to be in Miku's presence. ''I have a little errand for you to run. One of the silly fools in my dungeon managed to escape again. I need you to go and seduce him back.''

''Which one is it this time?'' Miku absently ran her hand down the side of her face, tucking a stray lock of teal hair behind her ear. She was deeply aware of Len Kagamine - her...boyfriend - shooting her a curious look, but she ignored him. Luka didn't like it when the people she was talking to seemed distracted. ''Is it Gumiya again? Or Gumo. Whatever his name is. That man can be incredibly fickle,'' she murmured.

She knew Len blinked. And she knew what he was thinking. But the Gumo she referred to here wasn't the same Gumo who attended their school. Gumo - or Gumiya, as he usually liked to be called - was the God of War, and Luka's occasional lover. The green haired god was also the father of Luki, who was Miku's first ever lover. Gumiya did look like the Gumo in their school though, now that she thought about it.

Maybe that was why Gumiya really hated being referred to using Gumo. Gumo was the name he took when he walked the mortal realm, since Gumiya was a very strange name and he would rather not be questioned by mortals, curious about his odd name. He was the only god who used a human name, so because of that, most of the gods used his human name to poke fun at the War god, and that irritated him a lot. Meiko, especially, got a kick out of working him up.

The Gumo in their school was probably some descendant of a mortal child of Gumiya. That explained the uncanny resemblance between the two. It also explained why, whenever she got near the green haired boy, she felt the little monster in her stir, wanting. The monster who she referred to as 'Sex'. Sex was the part of her which was responsible for her lust spell. Sex was the part of her which, well...liked sex.

Usually, Sex lay dormant at the very back of her mind. Her hatred for said physical activity was sufficient for her to squash all the energy out of the little monster. But whenever Sex got near a being with godly blood, the thing reared up, hoping to score an easy lay. Sex also became stronger the longer she went without sex, and if she wasn't careful, the monster would be let loose. Making her fall desperately on humans, eager for them to touch her, to make her -

She didn't want to think about it. It had been a long time since Sex last got free, and she wasn't about to let the little beast take control of her body once again. Hopefully. She wished there was some way to purge her body of Sex - if it weren't for this other part of her, there would be no lust spell. She wouldn't need to have sex once a week. And humans wouldn't drive themselves crazy with their lust for her.

She had just slept with Akaito fairly recently, but she would have to sleep with someone again soon. She could go at most...well, one day, before Sex reared her head once again. Sure enough, thinking about the creature got her active once more - _Sex? _that part of her perked up, eager for lust and physical contact. Sex noticed there was a human boy around, and she arrowed in on that. _Want him. Want now._

_It's going to take a while to shut her up. _Sex had a very limited vocabulary, but she still always managed to irritate Miku. ''No, not Gumiya. Sadly. He just left my bed...I'm quite surprised that he's not out there, blessing the mortal world with his babies, but I don't have any comment. Anyway, this time it's SeeWoo.'' Ah, SeeWoo. Minor God of the Afterlife. Though he was a minor god, he was dangerous, and gods, demons and angels all feared him alike.

Frankly, Miku always thought that Luka was insane for trapping the God of the Afterlife and using him in her...well, her harem, but then Luka had always liked the dangerous men. Case in point - Miku was pretty sure that Luka still had the former Death God, Dell Honne, locked up in her basement somewhere. The Death God was a primordial god, and even though he had retired, he was still fearsomely powerful.

The only reason why Luka could use all these men in her harem was because the other gods all helped her to suppress the men whom she caught. Mainly because Luka's harem was open to public use, so long as the other gods didn't overwork the sex slaves inside. As long as the god was feared, was good-looking, and was good in bed, he would go into Luka's harem. Or she. Luka could go either way, honestly.

''SeeWoo? Is he already here?'' Miku asked, turning away from Len and lowering her voice. No need to risk Len finding out that gods truly did exist. If the God of the Afterlife was around in the mortal world, then it would be easy to find him. She just had to look for a trail of unconscious, well-pleasured curvy women, and she would find SeeWoo. The blond god was known for his fondness of curvy women.

''Yes. Pretty near where you live, actually. Ren says that he's in a brothel somewhere,'' Ren was the God of Pathways. He could trace and track down anyone in the world, be it human or otherwise. Miku could hear the distinct disdain in Luka's voice as she spoke. ''As if that idiot doesn't already have enough sex while up here. Anyway, just seduce him and convince him to come back to the heavens. People want him.''

With that, the line was cut off. Miku stared at the screen for a while, before she sighed and placed the phone back in her pocket. She slowly turned around to face Len - the blond boy watched her, his blue eyes filled with curiosity. He was such a beautiful mortal, she mused to herself - such a wonderful example of classic beauty. Blond hair, slanted blue eyes, a lean body which any girl would yearn to possess.

And he was hers. For now. Not that she wanted him sexually - _Want him. Want him now! Now! _- okay, so the normal half of her didn't want him sexually. Sex, on the other hand, was practically frothing at the mouth. The monster desired sex, and it would do anything it could to get it. Her eyes widened as she felt Sex get to work, weaving a lust spell - instantly, the most alluring scent imaginable wafted from her pores. The scent of wine, of rich chocolate...

She didn't know what the beast did, but this scent never failed to arouse lust in those in her presence. She watched, wary, as she saw Len's eyelids lower to half-mast, the scent of lust and its irresistible spell trying to drag him into its sticky web - but then, to her utter shock, the blond boy shook off the cloying scent, his blue eyes widening as he stepped back. ''Miku?'' he asked her quietly. ''What's going on here?''

_He shook off the lust spell? How? _Only one person had ever managed to do that, and - she spun around, flinching away from the foreign touch. The scent hadn't affected Len, but it certainly affected other people, and now the unfortunate man behind her approached her, intoxicated by the scent of sex she emitted, his eyes glazed over with lust. Instantly, Len tugged her behind him, and without any further ado he reached out, punching the man in the face.

The glaze covering his eyes lifted, and his own gaze narrowed, him trying to retaliate. Swiftly, Len dodged the man's fist, ducking down and nailing the man in his side with a roundhouse kick. The man flew back, landing hard on the pavement, seemingly dazed - a moment later, he showed Len the finger, then scrambled up from the pavement and ran off. Len whipped around to face her, arching an eyebrow.

''Where did that scent come from, just now?'' he asked her, his voice layered with curiosity...and a little suspicion, it seemed. ''That scent...'' his features softened for an instant, and Miku tilted her head, wondering why he was reacting that way. ''Roses and chocolate,'' he muttered. ''Two of the best things in the world...'' he glanced at her. ''Miku?'' he asked, his voice now quieter. A little less intimidating. Miku shrugged.

''I don't know either,'' she lied. How could she tell him that it was a part of her curse? As if he would believe that such curses existed. Mortals no longer believed in spells and gods, and if she told him that she was cursed with a lust spell, he would just laugh - or think that she was mad, even. No. She couldn't allow that to happen. ''I...I need to go now,'' she backed away from him. ''I won't be going to school today.''

Surprise flickered through his blue eyes - eyes which held a faintest hint of lust, if she looked closely. But it was just a faint hint, when by right he should be falling all over her, the way the other man had just now. What was going on here? ''Why?'' he asked, his fingers reaching out a little. Just before their skin made contact, he froze, then slowly he let his hand drop back to his side. ''Never mind. It's not my business.''

She found that his muttered reply disappointed her, somewhat. He was her boyfriend. Wasn't he? So shouldn't her business be his? But it didn't matter - so long as he didn't interfere in what she was going to do. There wasn't any need for him to follow her, to look for SeeWoo with her. Besides, she would be going to a brothel, and she didn't need him to think about...anything. She didn't want his opinion of her to change, just because of all this.

''Family issues,'' she told him, noticing the way his blue eyes flicked from her gaze, to her lips, to the rest of her body. _But still no lust. Not the same amount of lust that I'm used to. What's going on? Is Sex weakening? _But then, the other man had been affected the same way mortals usually were, by her scent. ''I need to go home and handle them. My father hasn't come home the whole night. Mother insists that I wait.''

The lie slipped out easily, and she didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing. Len blinked as her excuse finally got through to his mind, and he shook his head, his blue eyes narrowing. ''Really? Then...I hope your father is fine, then. If anyone asks about your absence, I'll just tell them that, okay?'' he regarded her, his voice sounding almost dreamy. She nodded. Before she left, though, Len leant down to her.

Startled, she held her breath, her heart suddenly hammering away in her chest. The blond boy's breath hovered against her cheek, cool and light - the scent of his breath reminded her of cinnamon. And a little bit of peppermint. Slowly, his lips brushed against her skin, soft and full lips which made her shiver, unsure of her own reaction to his touch. Sex whimpered in her head. _Want him. Want him so bad._

Why was the creature just so insistent? She had never been this demanding before. Well, not unless she was dangerously close to the one week sex limit - but she just had sex a day ago. So what was Sex's problem here? Len then raised his head, and without another word he whipped around, walking away from there. Miku stared after him, her green eyes wide as she pressed her fingers against her cheek.

Perhaps Sex's special scent was working, after all. Len had never been so forward with her before. Usually, he just hovered around her, almost too frightened to talk to her, even. Yet this time he had kissed her...albeit only on the cheek, but still. He had kissed her of his own accord, and that was very strange. He was usually too shy to do anything around her, so...maybe Sex was working. But how strange.

Why hadn't he wanted to touch her? Anything with a humanoid shape wanted to touch her, the very moment Sex blasted its special fragrance through her pores. She didn't know whether or not that scent carried pheromones or anything...all she knew was, the moment the scent of wine and chocolate filled the air, every being wanted her. And the scent wouldn't fade until she had managed to have sex. Somehow.

Sex wasn't picky when it came to bedmates. Necrophilia wasn't something the creature was against. Though, thankfully, Miku had never been desperate enough for strength to try that. Having sex made her stronger, but that wasn't enough to make her willing to bed a corpse. To bed another woman...been there, though. Had done that. Enough times that she lost track. She didn't go that way, but Sex didn't care either.

Sex now whimpered, and in her head, Sex reached its wispy fingers out, trying to reach out for the blond boy. Not that Miku even knew why the monster was so into Len. Sex only behaved like this around people who Miku was unable to dominate, sexually - but then, she had never even bedded Len before. How would Sex know whether or not she could overpower him in bed? This was insane. It made no sense.

_What's your problem, Sex? _The creature ignored her, still reaching out for Len, who had rounded the corner and long disappeared from her sight. Miku felt a little pang at his disappearance, but that pang was nothing in comparison to what Sex felt - the creature keened in her mind. She literally _keened, _as though being separated from Len was a physical pain, and continued whimpering away in Miku's head. She sighed.

''Shut up, Sex. And stop blasting the nice scent already. I don't want any other people to start trying to molest me,'' she said aloud. Sex just ignored her some more, retreating back to her little corner in Miku's head, sulking. _Want sex, _Sex complained. _Want it now. Want Len. _Miku blinked, startled - this was so strange. Sex had never made such an explicit demand before. Usually, she just demanded for sex. And sex.

Was it linked to her memories, somehow? In the past, she had never reacted this way to Len. But the more she saw Len, the more she felt he was connected to her past, and the more Sex reared her head, searching for the said blond boy. Now, the creature whimpered again, distracting Miku from her thoughts. _Need Len. Want Len. Crave Len. _Sex bombarded her with images of the blond boy, his blue eyes wicked as he trailed his fingers across her skin -

_Shut up, Sex. _Though she couldn't deny that those images were strangely arousing. Her own arousal caused the nice scent to become even stronger, and Miku tensed, her gaze flicking around. She ought to start moving before more people came after her, desperate to get into her pants. _Why are you so annoyingly insistent on getting your own way, as always? _she fumed, turning and making her way down the street.

The creature hummed, revelling in their shared arousal. Miku gritted her teeth, trying to stave those images off. She didn't need any more distracting little images - going to find SeeWoo would not be easy, she knew, and she couldn't afford any distractions whatsoever. Sex, for once, played along with her, retreating to her little corner - but still, the scent remained. And it would remain until she bedded someone.

_Damn it, _for the first time in a long while, Miku actually cursed, something which she usually tried to avoid doing. _Damn it all to Hell._


	12. Chapter 12

_A brothel near where I live. There's only one brothel I know of around these parts. Might as well go and find out if SeeWoo is there._

Miku wasn't feeling particularly happy about this errand. She disliked brothels, for several good reasons. Another thing was, Sex was still wafting the sweet scent of sex throughout the whole place - it was like a giant noticeboard, screaming ''I'm sex on two legs, come and get some right now!'' As if she didn't have enough trouble trying to stay unnoticed, as it was. Miku sighed, rubbing at her eyes in frustration.

Whenever she saw humans approaching, she quickly hid herself somewhere, not wanting to be sexually harassed by them. Or vice-versa. It took her a while - about half an hour or so - to get to the brothel, despite it being practically right outside her neighbourhood. Miku would never understand why anybody would decide to build a whorehouse, right outside of this posh, upper-class suburban neighbourhood.

It wasn't that she enjoyed staying here. She didn't care for the luxury that her huge mansion provided her. _A doll doesn't need any of this. A doll needs only the love of her mistress to live. _That was what Luka said, anyway - and Miku knew it to be true. Luka could, at any moment, just snap her fingers and wipe Miku out of her puny existence. This knowledge was what made her always obey Luka, without any question.

_Yes, I'm nothing but a doll, made from clay and animated by lust. Yet now, I live. I have a consciousness of my own. And I don't want to be wiped away. _Miku cautiously stuck her head out from behind the alley wall - there was the brothel, as seemingly innocuous as always. The building was designed to look like no more than a simple beauty spa. Maybe so it wouldn't taint the prestige of the neighbourhood nearby?

The only reason why Miku knew this place was a brothel was because, there was once she had been walking past that very building, and a man had come out of it, looking immensely satisfied. When he saw her, he asked her whether she was a worker in this brothel, and if she was interested in making some money from him. At which Miku had politely declined and walked away, as quickly as her legs could carry her.

_I wonder whether SeeWoo is there. Luka will expect me to find him as quickly as possible...if he really is in there, then I can't let myself be noticed by others...it would be an unnecessary waste of time. _Miku slid out from behind the alley wall, looking around to ensure that there was no one else walking the pavement, for the time being. Darting across the road, she ducked behind the brothel, breathing out in relief.

Now she just had to get into the brothel without anyone noticing. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem for her...but then, today wasn't a normal day. Carefully, Miku made her way around to the very back, where she knew there would be a back door - past experience taught her that many, many brothels usually had a back door. As expected, the door was locked, but that wasn't much of a problem for her.

Sighing, she reached up to her long hair, where part of her fringe was being held away from her face by bright red hair clips. Undoing one of her hair clips, she stuck the metal barrette into the keyhole, wriggling it up and down. _Guess one good thing about being desired by all is that you learn how to pick lots of locks. _She lost track of how many times she had been locked inside a cage by desperate admirers.

Luka tended not to step in and help her unless there was really no other alternative. That was not because the goddess didn't care - Miku didn't want Luka to constantly pop into the mortal realm to rescue her. That didn't help her at all when it came to blending in with mortals. Which was why, most of the time, Luka only came to save her when Miku was really, truly stuck. Miku appreciated that, in an odd way.

There was a 'click' sound, and Miku's lips tilted up into a small smile. Sex stirred in her mind, curious about her sudden brief happiness, and she shoved the creature to the back of her head. Miku couldn't afford distractions now, and she certainly didn't want Sex to realise that they were standing outside a brothel. Changing her position, she backed herself against the door, then slowly opened it to reveal the interior of the brothel, beyond it. There was no one.

Quickly, she darted inside the brothel, then shut the door behind her, locking it once again. Her nose wrinkled up at the heavily cloying scent of perfume, permeating the whole building. Strangely enough, there was no one around in the passageway - but that was bad enough. Miku looked up, to see that this corridor split into three or four other branches. _Well. That's great. How am I supposed to find my way around here now? Let alone find SeeWoo..._

_If he isn't even here, then this will just be a waste of my time. _Hesitantly, she set off down the passageway, wondering where all the workers were. Shouldn't there be some people walking around in the building? To tell the truth, the brothel's interior looked just like the inside of any other building, and if she didn't know better...the sickly sweet scent of perfume hung thick and heavy in the air, almost masking her own scent of chocolate and wine. Almost.

She finally got to the junction, and here she paused, wondering where she ought to go now. Absently, she reached up, winding a lock of her teal hair around her finger - maybe she ought to find someone...instinctively, she recoiled at the idea of interaction, but she didn't have a choice now. At least, if she could find one of the girls who worked in this place, she would be able to ascertain whether or not the god was here.

In the meantime, perhaps she should just walk around aimlessly and hope to stumble across someone. Or maybe she would manage to come across SeeWoo, if he really was here. She hoped it would be the latter. Given her present state, coming across a human would be troublesome. Miku closed her eyes and spun around, pointing her finger - when she opened her eyes, she saw she was pointing down the middle corridor.

So off she set down the passageway. She kept herself close to the walls, genuinely dreading the thought of running into someone. It wasn't that she feared punishment for trespassing...she just didn't want people to lust after her. It was so hard to get rid of them, since she did not have any powers to help her. Other than her lust spell, Miku was practically human, and that sometimes led to its own...disadvantages.

She could fight, of course, with or without her weapons - but then she wasn't exceptionally skilful at it. Not like Len. She froze at the very thought of his name, and Sex purred in the back of her mind, satisfied. Miku shushed it, shaking her head to prevent Sex from bombarding her with unwanted images. _I really do wonder what Sex wants from Len. She has never been like this before...not while around him..._

Len fought much better than she herself did. She didn't know whether or not she ought to feel...embarrassed, about that. She had had centuries of experience before, yet she couldn't fight off one human boy when he wanted to take advantage of her. Yet, Len could - and he had done so with savage abandon. Again, she shook her head, knowing that these thoughts were not helpful in fulfilling her objectives.

She saw a shadow approaching from around the turn ahead, and she froze. _Someone's coming. _Should she run back, or should she stay and wait? Before she could come to a decision, the person rounded the bend, carrying a bundle of towels. At the sight of Miku, the woman stopped in her tracks, shock glinting in her eyes. ''Who are you -'' the woman began, but then Miku's scent reached her. Her eyes widened slightly.

Miku remained still, even as the woman came closer to her, pupils dilating as her lips curved into a seductive smile. She dropped her towels, and they remained on the floor, forgotten. Miku met the woman's gaze, her eyes impassive, though she knew what she wanted from her. ''Why, hello there,'' the woman breathed, her hand reaching up to slide slowly down Miku's cheek. Miku forced herself to stay where she was. ''Are you looking for someone, hm?''

''I'm looking for someone...by the name of, um, SeeWoo,'' it wasn't the first time the God of the Afterlife had departed for the mortal world, and whenever he did that, he rarely bothered to use a different name. Through the haze of lust that covered the woman's eyes, something almost like recognition flickered through her gaze, and Miku let out a sigh of relief. The woman cocked her head, her gaze travelling across Miku.

''Is he here?'' she added. The woman - a pretty, shapely brunette with green eyes - nodded absently, and Miku received the feeling that she wasn't exactly paying attention to her words. Nevertheless, she went on. ''Can you bring me to see him?'' she smiled invitingly. The woman gasped, nodding again. _At least the lust spell fogs up her mind, making her forget that I'm a trespasser. I don't know if that's good or not._

''Later, I promise I will,'' she sighed, her slim hands reaching up to run down Miku's arms. Miku closed her eyes, groaning internally. ''But for now...I need,'' she whimpered. ''I need you so badly. Please...'' one smooth hand slid up Miku's shirt, trailing across her bare stomach. Miku let her eyes flick open, her gaze boring right into the woman's intense green eyes. _I won't get any further if I don't play with her._

She drew the woman closer to her, letting her hips and waist press against her own. The woman groaned - a needy groan, a sound of lust and desire. Miku then let her hand reach up to caress the back of the woman's head, then pressed her mouth to hers, kissing her hungrily. The woman moaned against her mouth, her lips parting readily for her, and Miku tried not to feel too disgusted by what she was doing.

Then she pulled back, closing her eyes as she tried to picture herself elsewhere. Anywhere other than here. The woman was panting, waiting for her, and Miku slid her hand down her slender waist. ''Get down on your knees.''

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

_What have I just done? _Len was wondering to himself, his eyes fixed onto the pavement beneath him as he made his way to school.

''I can't believe I kissed her,'' he murmured to himself, running his fingers irritably through his blond hair. ''What on earth came over me, to do such a thing?'' It was just that all of a sudden, he felt daring - willing to do things he never would have attempted, before. _The fear of rejection. Of ridicule. Of pain. All fears which disappeared, and I don't know why...it makes me think. What just happened between us?_

He just felt this unexplainable urge to touch her, a desire to taste her. The sweet scent of roses and chocolate...he didn't know where it came from, but it made him feel heady. Reckless enough to try doing something as stupid as that. He wondered what Miku thought of him now. _I'm so damn shy around her that it's crippling. Maybe...maybe I should learn how to speak up more. So I don't come across as a coward._

If only there was a way to be more confident. To be daring and sure of himself around Miku, the same way he was when he stared down an opponent. _But fighting someone and talking to a girl whom I like...they're so different. It's not like I can feel the same way about these two situations when they're so dissimilar from each other. Can I? _He glanced up from the pavement he was walking along. _I'm almost at school..._

He wondered whether Miku was lying to him earlier, when she told him about her father and such. She seemed so truthful, so honest, but he just had this strange sense that she was lying to him. Intuition, one could say...or maybe he had just watched her long enough to know how she was like? Somehow, the way her green eyes fixed unblinkingly upon him made him feel like she wasn't being honest with him. Not at all...

But then, why would she want to skip school? She was a top student. Out of all people, he would have least expected her to play truant. _It's not any of my business. _The thought made his heart sink, but he knew it was true. He was her boyfriend...yet, they barely knew each other, and he could tell she hadn't wanted to talk too much about her reasons. In fact, he was surprised enough that she gave him that excuse about her father, coming home late and all...

He couldn't stop worrying about her. _I know that she's lying, though I have no idea how I realised that. _And, if she was lying to him...then didn't that mean she was doing something which wasn't...good for her? Maybe she didn't want him to probe or worry. _But I can't get her off my mind. And the knowledge that she lied to me is driving me crazy. I need to know why she did that. Doesn't she trust me at all?_

_She has her own reasons, _the other voice in his head said defensively. Len just rolled his eyes, ignoring himself - maybe he was going to develop a split personality soon. He was going to ignore that other voice. Len wasn't insane, he knew that...maybe, if he kept ignoring himself in his head, the other presence would leave him and he would be free again. The school building was coming into sight, and he paused at that.

_I don't want to go to school today, not if she isn't going to be here. _His fingers tightened around the strap of his bag. _She's not ill or anything, yet this concern won't leave. I...I really want to look for her, and see what she's up to. _But wouldn't that make him seem rather controlling? And possessive? Just like Akaito was...and he didn't want her to find him too clingy. Though he couldn't deny his worry.

_It's fine. I can skip one day of school. No one will care or notice, anyway. Rin is ill, and Rei is off on that exchange trip. Nobody will notice that I'm gone. _With that, Len turned around, determined to find Miku and see what she was really doing. _I won't...I won't let her notice that I'm around her. I just want to see what she's doing...why she lied to me, and why she wants to get herself out of school for today._

He turned away from the building, going back the way he came. Idly, he thought back to the irresistible scent he had smelled, when he was talking to Miku earlier. He had no idea where it came from, and he didn't quite like what the scent had commanded him to do. It had filled his senses, drugging them, telling him to do...things, to Miku. Things he was uncomfortable thinking about. Though he had managed to stop himself, what if that ever repeated itself?

_No, it's not going to happen again. There's no telling where the scent came from, so..._he reassured himself, wondering whether that scent had come from Miku. But then, that just couldn't be possible. How could someone's perfume - or whatever it was that Miku used - change so quickly? So...suddenly? He was being silly here. Scents couldn't possibly lure people in, making them drunk on the sweetness of roses and chocolate. It just...wasn't possible.

Len shook his head, irritated at himself. There, proof that he couldn't resist thinking about her and her desirability, no matter what happened to him. He really had to stop being so weak, so dependent on Miku. It was as if everything he did made him think of her...like he needed her to survive. And he most certainly did not need such a thing. _My shyness is bad enough. I don't need to cling on to her all the time, either._

He was just concerned for her and her lies. And being curious about his girlfriend, even if it wasn't any of his business...showing worry for her wouldn't be considered a sin, would it?


	13. Chapter 13

_I hate this, I really hate this..._Miku ran her nails down her arm, clawing at her own skin. Desperately wishing she could scratch it off.

She felt so filthy now. So tainted and unclean. The woman in front of her turned, giving her a seductive smile - Miku didn't return that smile, as repulsed as she was by her own actions, and the woman's face fell slightly. ''Why do you want to find SeeWoo anyway?'' the woman asked her. No, it was more of a demand...

Miku stared blankly at her, clearly indicating it was none of her business, and the woman just sniffed, looking away. She kept to her promise - in exchange for letting her have her way with Miku, she was leading her through the brothel. All the way to SeeWoo, the minor god of the Afterlife. Miku felt bile rising in her throat. She loathed this, loathed what she had just done...

The only bright side about this was, now that Sex was satisfied, she had stopped wafting her irresistible scent throughout the vicinity. Miku was like any other person now. Admired for her beauty, for her sex appeal, but no longer so tempting that people would try to rape her if they happened to see her. Miku shuddered at the thought, wrapping her arms around herself. She didn't enjoy this at all. It was...tiresome.

Sex had gone back to her little corner of Miku's mind. She was sated now, so she remained quiet - Miku could almost convince herself that the monster was no longer there, lurking in her head. But she knew Sex was still there, just waiting for the next round. Waiting until she could finally come out and weave her lust spell again. But this time...this time was pointless.

A woman. To remain the way she was, and not revert to her doll form, she needed a man. The gender of her partner mattered. A woman...it wasn't enough. It could sate and suppress the monster within her, but it did nothing to help her with her curse. Miku was not someone who liked doing pointless things, especially not when it came to her body. The only reason why she was willing was so she could find SeeWoo.

The woman led her all the way to a door - it looked no different from the other doors here, but Miku stiffened. She could practically _sense _the godly power behind that door - SeeWoo was strong, despite being a minor god, and the fact that he was the god of the Afterlife just made him all the more otherworldly. It was not a lie. SeeWoo was here, she was certain of that.

''SeeWoo is in there,'' the woman said, oblivious to Miku's stillness. ''I don't think there's anyone in there with him right now, so you're free to enter and disturb him. At your own risk, of course,'' the woman's lips tilted up into a sly smirk, and Miku realised blatantly what she meant by that. ''Not that I would mind risking myself in this case, if you get what I mean.''

''I'm not interested in that sort of thing,'' Miku said simply, adjusting her school uniform. Her shirt should be fine - though she really ought to remove the lipstick mark on her collar - and her skirt should be short enough to satisfy the god. From what she knew, SeeWoo was fond of the innocent schoolgirl look. ''It doesn't mean I'll turn him down,'' she added at the look on the woman's face. _Is it wrong to not like sex?_

''Whatever you say, sweetie,'' the woman just shrugged, flipping some of her long hair over her shoulder. She turned to leave, but not before giving Miku a strange look. ''You know,'' she started, ''I'm pretty sure that I'm straight. So just now, what happened back there...'' she shook her head, seemingly confused. ''Well, in my eyes, it never happened,'' she said quickly.

Miku just shot her a look. ''I don't actually care about what you think,'' she said evenly. ''To be honest, I'm not interested in women either, so don't look at me like I'm contagious. You were the one who was all over me, miss. In case you forgot about that. Besides, I'm never going to see you again, so...'' Miku adjusted her skirt one last time, smoothing it down. ''You can forget about it, if you want. Because I certainly will.''

With that, she turned the doorknob, stepping inside the room. The woman's dumbstruck face was the last thing she saw before the door closed, leaving her stuck inside the room with an escaped godly fugitive. Miku took in a deep breath, slowly turning around to face the room. Her gaze clashed with the startled blue eyes of a man, who was reclining elegantly on a bed.

SeeWoo. A handsome god, she could not deny that - ash-blond hair, blue-grey eyes, a tall, lean and toned physique which had tempted many a goddess or otherwise before. Tempted most women, actually. Everyone but her. She, of all people, was jaded to beauty and masculinity. Men meant nothing to her. Absolutely nothing.

His eyes flickered with recognition as he stared at her, his gaze slowly sliding down from her shirt - she had left the top few buttons undone, exposing hints of her cleavage - to her skirt, which barely covered her upper thighs. A tiny smirk flitted across his lips. ''Why, if it isn't the Love Goddess's pet doll,'' he drawled, his voice silky smooth and sensuous. ''I'm honoured.''

Miku was actually feeling a little thankful that she had encountered that woman outside, just now - because if Sex hadn't been so recently sated, she was certain that the greedy beast would be raving mad for SeeWoo now. Such a powerful god. So handsome and appealing. No doubt Sex would want him, and she would want him _badly. _For now, she was satisfied, so Miku was able to keep a clear head in this case.

She leant back against the door, studying her fingernails. She knew a lot about the gods, when it came to their sexual preferences - her mistress had drilled all that information into her head before. SeeWoo, she knew, was fond of women with curves. She definitely lacked those curves - but she had the 'slutty schoolgirl' look down perfectly. The god liked that too.

Another thing he enjoyed was women who played hard to get. The more disinterested she seemed to be, the better. SeeWoo apparently had some masochistic tendencies - it made her wonder why the god had escaped from Luka's harem. Didn't being one of Luka's sex slaves fulfil all his masochistic desires? ''I was told to find you,'' she yawned, looking away from him. ''Not that I actually care about it,'' she added.

''Really now?'' he sounded amused. Thankfully, he was clothed. If he wasn't clothed - she had a vague sense of how he would look like naked, and she knew Sex would want to see him bare for herself - she would probably have a hard time concentrating. ''I'm so pleased that a girl as lovely as you made time to seek me out.''

''Like I said,'' Miku met his gaze, conveying as much boredom as she could, ''I wouldn't have bothered to look for you if I hadn't been told to do such a thing,'' she leant away from the door, folding her arms across her chest. ''Now, if I were you, I'd get back to Luka. She isn't very happy about your escape, you know. And I don't want to be the one suffering from her wrath.''

''So you would have me take your place?'' he quickly retorted, his blue-grey eyes dancing with amusement. ''My sweet lust doll, you used the term 'escape', so I'm sure you're aware that I left Luka without her permission. If I return to her, I will be the one being punished in your stead. It is widely-known that I am a masochist, but even my masochistic tendencies do not stretch to such an extent. Luka is...not kind.''

''I just want to stay out of trouble. She is my mistress,'' Miku shrugged. ''Whereas you have no relation whatsoever with me. We're all self-serving, aren't we? If finding you, and making you return to my mistress's side, will save me from her anger...then why should I give up such a chance?'' she asked him. The god tilted his head, sitting up in bed. His gaze was intent.

''You speak true, lust doll...'' his voice was soft. ''But then, no matter how truly you speak, I am afraid that I cannot agree to this. You are a very lovely girl, but I am not so lustful that I can put sex above my own comfort,'' his lips tilted into a smirk as he noticed the look on her face. ''Don't frown so, my sweet,'' he crooned. ''Frowning would make any woman look bad. So smile.''

She ignored his words. ''I cannot return to Luka empty-handed,'' she gritted out. ''Yet, you are a god, and I cannot do anything to you...'' she bit her lip, folding her arms. _Technically, _right now, she couldn't do anything to him. He was a god. Gods were not like mortals. Even her lust spell wouldn't work, in this case. If she called forth the monster in her body, SeeWoo would lust for her...but he could retain his clarity of thought.

Gods were different. They could resist the pull of her lust spell, though it affected them too. They would lose their minds only if she spent too much time with them - and SeeWoo would know what was going on before the spell had enough time to get a good grip on him. So she could not do anything now. Unless...unless she summoned Luka to help her. But that way...

She really didn't want to call upon her goddess. Her independent streak - coupled with the ever present resentment she felt towards Luka - made her hesitate whenever she had to call for her mistress. No, until she was positive she had exhausted every single method to try convincing the god to return, she would not call for Luka. So what should she try to do now, then?

''You say that Luka is not kind,'' she said slowly, her gaze never leaving the God of the Afterlife. ''Why do you say that? After all, you are fond of being...commanded. You enjoy being ordered around, you prefer to be the one hurting, rather than the one inflicting the pain. A harem should be the perfect place for you. What made you decide to leave?'' she was genuinely curious.

SeeWoo shrugged. His eyes acquired a distant look, as though he was seeing something she could not. ''The shame,'' he said simply. ''I am a masochist, that is true. But it does not mean that I have no dignity. Being in a harem...'' he sighed. ''I'm pleased to my heart's content, but only physically so. I cannot choose my partner. I cannot decide anything for myself. I am little more than a slave. That is what I dislike.''

''How did you escape?'' she was getting more curious now. Most of the escapees - not that there were many - were unwilling to talk to her, not like SeeWoo. SeeWoo was a strange god, but everyone knew that. Due to his station as God of the Afterlife, he knew things that others did not. Secrets of the dead, secrets of reincarnation, dark secrets which had long receded from the memories of other gods.

''I walked out of the front door,'' came the droll reply. She blinked at him, startled. SeeWoo laughed at the look on her face. ''You seem to be rather sceptical,'' he murmured. ''Trust me, the dungeons in which Luka keeps her harem are very far from well-guarded. All I had to do was to seduce one of the guards, and I was out,'' he shrugged. ''You'd think Luka would find guards who were immune to lust, but she didn't.''

''Because it's impossible for anyone to be truly immune to lust...'' Miku murmured, her gaze drifting across him. He inclined his head, and she knew that he agreed with her. ''So that's all, then? I'm surprised there aren't more people trying to escape,'' she mumbled, more to herself than to the god. To her surprise, he chuckled, shaking his head this time. ''What?''

''Oh, there are far more escapees than you could have possibly realised, my sweet lust doll,'' he answered. ''Luka only asks you to retrieve the more popular gods. Like me. The ones that all the others want. She couldn't care less about the less popular prisoners...you do know why she allows other gods to use her harem, no?''

''Because those who patronise her harem lend her a hand in trapping her prisoners, which is why she has so many powerful gods - and other beings, such as demons - in her harem. And also...'' Miku hesitated. ''The lust that the other gods bring when they visit her harem makes her more powerful. Strengthens her, so that she is never weak. Those are her reasons why.''

''Yes. She is only affected when the more high-profile gods, like me, run away. The rest of them are used for her own pleasure...'' SeeWoo sighed. ''If she had asked me to help her out,'' he said plaintively, ''I would've done so gladly. But I never did agree to being a slave. I am a god. A minor god, but still a god. I do not like that other deities can use me as they please.''

''I see...'' it made her wonder exactly how many gods and goddesses fled from Luka's harem, each day. It didn't affect their godly duties, being in her harem - after all, the gods still had their powers. They were just forced to be sex slaves. Miku knew that those in Luka's harem were usually minor deities, another reason why their presences were generally not missed.

It would be much more noticeable if Luka ever trapped a more important god in her dungeon. Which was probably the only reason why she didn't do such a thing. ''That was a fascinating conversation we had,'' she started, ''but I am afraid that I still have to take you back. You know I am a lust doll, God of the Afterlife,'' she hesitated. ''Luka controls my life. If I displease her, she can turn me back into clay again.''

''I know that,'' SeeWoo slid off the bed, raking his fingers through his ash-blond hair. ''And I really do pity you,'' he walked over to her, his eyes boring into hers. ''A doll, animated using lust and magic, forced to use her body just so that she can survive...'' his fingers brushed against her cheek. She remained still. ''It is a sad life you have,'' he mused. ''All the more when your mistress does not let you love.''

''How did you know all that?'' Miku's voice was carefully neutral, not showing any hint of the emotional turmoil going on within her. ''You know too much about me. About my life as a lust doll. About...how I'm not allowed to love,'' the last few words came out as a whisper. He just smiled. ''What do you know about that?''

''I know a great deal,'' he answered simply. ''I am the God of the Afterlife, do not forget that. And as for your love...'' he leant down, his lips hovering near her ear. She stilled. ''His spirit never made it into the Afterlife,'' he whispered. ''Don't let Luka know that I've told you this. She will not be happy if she knew I said this to you. But this matter concerns me as well. I am the Afterlife itself. I know every denizen there.''

''He...he never made it into the Afterlife?'' she echoed, watching SeeWoo as he moved away from her. ''Why? Is it because he did something wrong while he was alive? Or was it because Luka killed him, and he died before his time? Does being murdered by a god affect one's transition into the Afterlife?'' the questions all spilled out, desperate to be answered.

''I cannot say,'' the god shrugged gracefully. ''It is not in my place to reveal my secrets to you. The Afterlife is a mystery to all, even me. I can't just tell you everything...the only thing I shall reveal is that your lover has never appeared in my realm,'' he tilted his head. ''He is lost to me, I fear. You need not worry,'' he added, looking directly at her. ''He will be fine, I am sure.''

''But...he's not in the Afterlife...'' Miku glanced at the floor, unable to meet SeeWoo's piercing gaze. ''How could he possibly be fine that way? A wandering spirit...'' she bit her lip. She could barely remember who this dead lover was, but she was concerned for him. How could she not worry about him? She had loved him once, and she would have loved him forever, she knew.

If only Luka hadn't killed him then. ''He is not a wandering spirit,'' SeeWoo's voice was patient. ''He is simply...lost. There is a difference. He knows where he wants to go, but for some reason, he is prevented from heading to his destination. There are other forces at work here,'' SeeWoo frowned. ''And I am not allowed to interfere. I am nought but a minor god.''

''Thank you for telling me this, I suppose,'' Miku rubbed her eyes using the back of her hand, suddenly feeling exhausted. ''I guess...if you really don't want to go back, I shan't force you,'' she sighed. ''Maybe Luka will be willing to accept some excuse. I'll see what I can come up with. But you don't need to fear me trying any tricks. I won't ask Luka to come here for you.''

He studied her, his expression unreadable. All of a sudden, he sighed, smiling slightly. ''Don't worry, Miku. I'll give myself up to Luka. There's no need for you to get into trouble with your mistress. I wouldn't want to be blamed for causing you any harm, or the like. So long as you promise me one thing...'' he cupped her cheek. ''When I'm back in Luka's harem, come and visit me every once in a while, all right?''

She gasped, looking up at him. His blue-grey gaze danced with amusement, but he seemed to be otherwise serious. ''You'll go back to her?'' she asked. Then something registered. ''Wait...how did you know my name?'' she asked him, suspicious. He just shot her a knowing look.

''I am the God of the Afterlife. I know many things. And I knew, from the very moment you entered this room, what was your name,'' he said this so matter-of-factly that she felt a little silly, questioning him like that. She frowned.

''But...'' she hastily tried to redeem herself, so that she wouldn't seem quite so dumb in his eyes, ''from the very start, you just called me 'lust doll', so I was under the impression that -''

''That doesn't mean I didn't know what your name is,'' he interjected, a patient smile on his face. ''You are very interesting to talk to,'' he added, before she could say anything else. ''And I think you will be quite entertaining. You aren't like the other lust dolls Luka creates. You're more...how do I put it? You think for yourself. That is unique, for a doll. It won't be as bad in the harem if I have you to talk to, Miku.''

''Just to talk?'' she asked, startled. When he asked her to visit him in Luka's harem, she had naturally assumed that...he nodded, the glint in his eyes indicating that he knew precisely what she had been thinking of. ''I...of course! I don't mind talking to you,'' she clasped her hands together. Every single word was genuine. He, too, was not like most gods she encountered.

He patted her on the shoulder. ''I will not lie and say that you do not tempt me physically,'' he told her, voice calm. ''But I know many secrets, and I know your heart has been lost to that man, the spirit lost from my realm. You are his, even if he cannot get to you now. And I see no point in sleeping with a girl who does not have any genuine feelings for me,'' he grinned.

Yes, he was unlike most gods, indeed. Because most of them wouldn't even care that she did not love them. ''I...I'm glad you understand me,'' she said slowly, looking away from the god. ''I mean, you...I've never really had a friend,'' she admitted. ''Would this make us friends, then?''

He paused, before he shot her a jaunty wink. ''I'll think about it, but no promises,'' he said playfully. ''Now, perhaps you ought to lead me back to Luka, before I change my mind and decide to flee from you,'' his voice became serious once again. And she knew, despite the humorous gleam in his blue-grey eyes, that he was genuinely considering running away.

She nodded. ''Thank you, SeeWoo,'' she said quietly, thankful to him. She hadn't expected him to actually think of her, and turn himself over to the goddess who had enslaved him. He simply shrugged, looking perfectly carefree. She wondered why he was this way. She would have expected him to be disappointed, at the very least, that his brief freedom was gone.

''You entertain me. That is enough. I suppose I can deal with a little more embarrassment so that you will remain alive,'' he answered, ''I'd like to see how things will turn out between your current lover, and yourself,'' he stepped away from her, in the direction of the door. ''It is like a repeat of the past, don't you think?''

She knew better than to ask him how he knew about Len. ''But this time is not the same as the past,'' she told him, confused. ''I do not love him. I don't even know why I agreed to be his girlfriend. Unlike my past lover. I knew that I loved him from the very start. In this case, it is different, and Len is...'' she paused. ''I don't know what to think of him,'' she finally said.

SeeWoo turned back to stare at her, his eyes penetrating. ''Like I've said,'' his voice was deathly quiet, ''it is a repeat of the past. You will understand what I mean, eventually. Until then, you should stay with him. One by one, when you finally reclaim your memories, you will be glad that you do not treat him as you do your other toys,'' he smiled. ''After all, how often do you feel guilty when you sleep with another?''

_Almost never,_ was what she wanted to say, but before she could say those words, SeeWoo left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. She stood there, dazed for a moment, before she finally came to her senses and slipped out after him. The god was walking down the passageway, and she had to hurry just to catch up with him. Nevertheless, she couldn't stop thinking about his words...

Feel guilty? She rarely ever did. She hated it, but she didn't feel _guilty. _She was not in an actual relationship with anyone, and she was doing this to survive. But...guilty. Did she feel guilt, after doing all those things with that woman? She could not be certain. However, if she did...it would be because she was cheating on Len. She knew that. So...did she feel guilty, then?

She had no idea, really. But she couldn't forget SeeWoo's words either. They just seemed so...important, even though she didn't know what he meant. This god appeared to actually care about her welfare, about what she was doing with her life. She knew that she should keep his words in mind, especially since he was the god of the Afterlife and he truly knew what he was talking about. Probably. She hoped so...

_But what is SeeWoo trying to tell me...?_

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_**Solitaryloner: **__I didn't get many reviews for the previous chapter, so I'm kinda disappointed for that, but that's okay, I get that most people are really busy and everything..._

_Anyway, I'm really close to the 100 reviews mark for this story, so I'll appreciate some help from my readers and everything. Please help me hit this milestone, I'll be really grateful!_


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